'Asin Law' implementation urged instead of imposing tax on salty foods

Consumer advocacy group Laban Konsyumer Inc. on Saturday said the government must instead improve the implementation and compliance of the Salt Iodization Law instead of taxing salty foods, if the government is really concerned about the public's health.

"Dalawang bagay 'yan e. Una, 'yung purely tax revenue measure, and second 'yung tinatawag nilang health issue," Laban Konsyumer president Vic Dimagiba said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV aired on GMA News TV.

The Department of Health (DOH) earlier said its proposal to impose taxes on food with high salt content aims to lessen high consumption of salty foods which could lead to hypertension, heart and kidney diseases. 

Dimagiba, however, is not buying that reason, and said the proposal for another tax measure may be purely to generate more tax revenues for the government since there is already a law which tackles health issues on salt consumption.

"Sabi namin meron ng batas na ipinasa noong 1995 na nagre-require na lahat ng food grade salt ay kailangan i-iodized mo," he said.

"Kung tina-tax nila ay salty food per se ay teka muna, balikan muna nila 'yung 'Asin Law' kasi sayang e. Kung 'yan ay napatupad at pinatutupad, 'yan po ang sagot du'n sa healthy issue sa salty food," he added.

"Kung ita-tax 'yan, purely tax revenue ang iniisip," Dimagiba said.

Republic Act No. 8172 of 1995 requires producers of food-grade salt to iodize the salt they produce, manufacture, import, trade, or distribute. This is to contribute to the elimination of micronutrient malnutrition in the country, particularly iodine.

Dimagiba said products containing salt in the market do not indicate in their labels if the sodium content is iodized or not.

"'Yung binibili natin na sardinas na nasa bote, 'pag tinignan mo 'yung ingredients content hindi naman nakalagay iodized salt e. Ang nakalagay sodium so hindi mo alam kung 'yun ba ay iodized. Kasi meron ding requirement na ila-label mo 'yung mga produkto," he said.

"So kung maganda ang pagpapatupad ng 'Asin Law,' walang logic 'yang tax on salty foods unless they really just want to tax itong salty food," he added.

The consumer group chief also noted that imposing tax on salty foods will be inflationary and hurt poor consumers.

"Inflationary po siya kasi ipapasa sa 'tin e. Wala namang negosyante ang nag-a-absorb ng added taxes," Dimagiba said.

"Pag-aralan muna ang basis kasi kung maganda po ang implementation ng 'Asin Law' at ang purpose ng [measure] is health ay hindi po tax ang sagot. Ang sagot is baka kailangan i-review nila ang implementation ng 'Asin Law.' Baka kailangan i-improve ang implementation and compliance," he added. —Ted Cordero/KG, GMA News