Skip to playerSkip to main content
The National Nutrition Council (NNC) supports higher taxes on sugary drinks and to do more than discourage excessive sugar consumption. Responding to a question from The Manila Times at a media forum at The Manila Hotel on July 31 2026, NNC Undersecretary Albert Domingo says on July 31, 2026 that scientific evidence shows higher taxes on unhealthy foods can influence healthier consumer behavior, especially among children. He also proposed allocating part of the tax revenues for nutrition programs and initiatives that could make healthier food more accessible to Filipinos.

VIDEO BY DAN MADRAZO

Check out our Streaming Channel: https://streaming.manilatimes.net/

Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe

Visit our website at https://www.manilatimes.net

Follow us:
Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook
Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram
Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter
DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion

Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital

Check out our Podcasts:
Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify
Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts
Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic
Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer
Tune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein

#TheManilaTimes
#LocalNews
Transcript
00:00Ah, malaking usapin yan, nage-headline po yan na nababasa din po ng inyong lingkod.
00:05Kasi no less than the Chairperson of the House Committee on Ways and Means, Honorable Congressman Miro Kimbo,
00:13and even in the Senate na pag-uusapan din po, yung pagtaas ng taxes on, well, kasama yung vape and
00:21cigarettes,
00:22pero yung napanggit mo, yung sugar-sweetened villages.
00:25Doon sa pagkasabi, it's in response to the lowering of the income taxes na binanggit ng ating amahal na Pangulo.
00:34And that's good. Pero maganda yung tanong mo, kasi dadagdag ng boses ang National Nutrition Council,
00:40there is scientific evidence na kapag ang buwis sa mga unhealthy food ay tumaas,
00:47ang behavior ng ating mga kababayan ay nagbabago.
00:50So, sa mga tuwit, halimbawa, kung ikaw ay bata, hindi ka pa nakatigim ng matamis na soft drink,
00:58pag nakita mo yung presyo ng isang bote na soft drink ay kakainin yung bawon mo na pera,
01:04mapapaisip ka eh, baka may iba ka pang gustong bilhin.
01:06So, the hope is you will choose water, which is still the best, or fruit juices.
01:13Huwag yung concentrated, yung usually, or whole fruits, sabi nila,
01:17kung may kanila ng fruitas, kung gusto mo ng fruit juice, whole fruits.
01:19Having said that, kaaway pa ng NNC, ang sugar-seated beverage hindi.
01:24Kaya nga, ang sinasabi, hindi bawal, pero dapat may karampatang buwis.
01:29Saan ba gagamitin yung buwis na ito?
01:31In the case of sugar-seated beverages, kami po, humbly, we propose,
01:36ibigay po natin yan sa nutrition programs.
01:39Ang budget ng National Nutrition Council sa ngayon is roughly around 300 to 400 million pesos all in per year.
01:47Okay, kamakailan lang po, nagkaroon ng hiling sa Senate,
01:50pinanukala na sana maging National Nutrition Commission ang ating NNC para mas magkaroon ng mandate,
01:57mas magkaroon ng, kumbaga, administrative supervision over all agencies.
02:02And, kung mamarapatin kahit a small portion dahil malaki po ang sugar-seated beverage tax,
02:07makakatulong po yun para yung mating mga healthy foods,
02:11yung mga bukit natin, yung mga gulay at prutas,
02:14yan yung pababahin natin yung presyo.
02:16I don't know how, ibang kamihin yan kasi mahabang usama yan,
02:20pero magbigin naman ng sound bites.
02:21Baka yun ang pwedeng ating resulta pag tinaas natin yung presyo
02:26through taxation of sugar-seated beverages.
02:29Music
02:33Music
Comments

Recommended