MANILA, Philippines – Militant group People’s Coalition Against Regressive Taxation (PCART) trooped to Mendiola on Wednesday to urge President Aquino to junk the sin tax bill.
The protesters, composed mostly of cigarette vendors, wore prisoners’ uniforms and brought with them plastic bags filled with salt to symbolize that imposing high taxes on cigarettes may push the urban poor to turn to drug dealing rather than sell cigarettes.
PCART leader Edwin Guarin said the government should prioritize measures that help the plight of the poor instead of raising taxes.
The sin tax bill or Senate Bill 3299 re-indexing the excise taxes on tobacco and alcohol products has been passed in Senate.
The measure is expected to go to the bicameral conference committee to reconcile it with the version of the House of Representatives. -- Report from Noel Alamar, dzMM
Metro Manila,Top Stories,mendiola,President Aquino,sin tax bill,People’s Coalition Against Regressive Taxation,PCART