Tax vapes to the max to save lives, public health advocates demand

Public health advocacy network Healthy Philippines Alliance (HPA), together with HealthJustice as its convener, called on lawmakers to impose the maximum possible tax rate on vapor products at Php80 or higher to truly safeguard public health and save Filipino lives, especially the youth.

While the Department of Finance (DOF) and the Department of Health (DOH) have proposed a unified tax rate of Php72.93 by 2027 across cigarettes, heated tobacco products (HTPs), and vapor products, health advocates argue that this threshold remains insufficient to curb access and prevent addiction, warning that weak tax rates endanger Filipino youth and place a heavy burden on our healthcare system.

“Vapes are far from harm-free. The proliferation of these products has accelerated the early onset of chronic heart and lung diseases among our youth,” said Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan former DOH Secretary and Lead Convener of the HPA.

“Allowing young people to develop chronic health conditions early in life guarantees staggering medical costs for our healthcare system down the line. Hence, taxing these products at Php80 or higher is an indispensable preventive health measure,” Galvez Tan emphasized.

With this, HJ also raised strong objections to counterproposals from certain lawmakers aiming to reduce vape taxes to as low as Php15 per milliliter and highlighted the country’s regulatory shortcomings versus its peers in the ASEAN region.

“Proposals to drastically lower vape taxes to Php15 per milliliter are reckless and unacceptable. These are just a veiled attempt of the tobacco and vape industry to introduce more addictive products to our youth and hook them to long-term addiction. We cannot allow lower tax rates that enable more addictive substances, like nicotine salt vapes, to proliferate in the market,” Atty. Benedict Nisperos, Legal Adviser of HealthJustice, stated.

“Eight out of eleven ASEAN countries have completely banned vapor products to protect their citizens, yet the Philippines continues to allow the sale of these addicting and health harming products. Slashing tax rates further, paired with an already lenient Vape Regulation Law (RA11900), effectively invites more predatory marketing aimed straight at young Filipinos,” Nisperos added.

Public health advocates of HealthJustice and HPA once again urged members of Congress to align tax policy with public health priorities and ensure that health protection takes precedence over commercial interests.

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About HealthJustice Philippines

HealthJustice Philippines is a non-profit organization advocating for effective public health policies, tobacco control, and strong regulatory frameworks to protect Filipinos from health hazards.

About the Healthy Philippines Alliance

The Healthy Philippines Alliance, convened by HealthJustice, is a network of civil society organizations and patient-led public health advocates committed to preventing and controlling non-communicable diseases (NCDs) through policy advocacy and public awareness.

Contact person/s:

Mariz Amante Wee
Communications Officer, HealthJustice
+63998-885-1080 / +974-669-86655 | mariz@healthjustice.ph

Anelle Cortez
Project Coordinator, HealthJustice +639178139696 | anelledc@healthjustice.ph