KMU hits DOH for proposal to tax salty foods, including daing

Labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) on Thursday slammed the Department of Health (DOH) for looking into a proposal to impose taxes on salty foods, claiming that the department was using health as a justification for the measure.

“In the TRAIN Law, sweet drinks were levied. Sin taxes were again raised in alcohol and cigarettes, and now government even wants to tax the poor man’s food of ‘tuyo’ and ‘daing'," KMU Chairman Elmer Bong Labog said in a statement.

"Did all those taxes benefit the people or people’s health in any way? Huwag niyo nga kaming lokohin,” he added.

Though there is nothing concrete yet, the DOH on Wednesday said they were looking into proposing a measure that will impose taxes on food with high salt content such as 'daing' or dried fish.

According to KMU, health services, public hospitals including doctors and nurses, and public health programs should be sufficiently funded instead.

“What these taxes do is further burden the already impoverished people. Where do the taxes go? Into the pockets of Duterte’s cronies and minions in government including those in Congress who pass all these tax laws,” Labog said.

KMU pointed out the proposed P9.39 billion cut in the DOH budget for the General Appropriations Act as well as the P6 billion cut in the Human Resources for Health Deployment Program, which they claim will dislodge 10,000 health workers.

“Ordinary Filipinos already lack enough income with the measly daily wages and monthly salaries of employees. They lack stable employment and livelihood.  They are deprived of the most basic health services," Labog said.

"Malnutrition and poor sanitation are basic health problems that these government should address. These new taxes just ‘kill’ them,” he added. —NB, GMA News