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| Photo taken from Google |
A sin tax is a kind of sumptuary tax: a tax specifically levied on certain generally socially proscribed goods and services, for example alcohol and tobacco, candies, soft drinks, fast foods, coffee, and gambling.
Sumptuary taxes are ostensibly used for reducing transactions
involving something that society considers undesirable, and is thus a
kind of sumptuary law.
Sin tax is used for taxes on activities that are considered socially
undesirable. Common targets of sumptuary taxes are alcohol and tobacco,
gambling, and vehicles emitting excessive pollutants. Sumptuary tax on
sugar and soft drinks has also been suggested. Some jurisdictions have also levied taxes on illegal drugs such as cocaine and marijuana.
The revenue generated by sin taxes is sometimes used for special
projects, but might also be used in the ordinary budget. American cities
and countries have used them to pay for stadiums, while in Sweden the
tax for gambling is used for helping people with gambling problems.
Acceptance of sumptuary taxes may be greater than income tax or sales
tax.
House Bill 5727, or the Sin Tax Bill, aims to restructure the existing
taxes imposed on alcohol and tobacco goods. Duties on these products are
a potential revenue source that will help fund the Universal Health
Care Program of the administration. Likewise, higher taxes—and
consequently higher costs—are seen as a deterrent to the consumption of
“sin” products, whose adverse effects are mostly borne by the poorer
segments of society.
I think the sin tax bill promotes a healthy lifestyle to the whole
nation. It encompasses the troublesome and longevity of the trend of
early age youth alcoholic drinking and smoking irresponsibly. It also
concerns those who are old enough but abuse the use of the said vices.
It yearns for a decrease in demand of cigarettes and alcoholic drinks by
increasing the added tax to their respective suggested retail price.
But people are born hardheaded, when it comes to this kind of things
“taas presyo”, they don’t care as long as they meet their needs.
So sufficing to say, the sin tax bill ALONE can’t promote strongly a healthy living nation. Even the impoverished people don’t care; they still buy cigarettes and alcoholic drinks after the bill was signed. Yes, it will show results in the decrease of demands, but I bet you 1 rim of cigarettes that it will not make a dent in the economic buying patterns in the Philippines. One way we could positively look forward to that there will be still many buying cigarettes and alcohol no matter what. And with the increased tax added, the government might take it as an advantage to use the funds from the sales to improve the nation itself. Whether may it be in the economic growth in global stage, tourism and hospitality improvements, roads, technology, job openings and many other factors that could change the Philippines’ status into a more successful country.
So sufficing to say, the sin tax bill ALONE can’t promote strongly a healthy living nation. Even the impoverished people don’t care; they still buy cigarettes and alcoholic drinks after the bill was signed. Yes, it will show results in the decrease of demands, but I bet you 1 rim of cigarettes that it will not make a dent in the economic buying patterns in the Philippines. One way we could positively look forward to that there will be still many buying cigarettes and alcohol no matter what. And with the increased tax added, the government might take it as an advantage to use the funds from the sales to improve the nation itself. Whether may it be in the economic growth in global stage, tourism and hospitality improvements, roads, technology, job openings and many other factors that could change the Philippines’ status into a more successful country.
