Consumer group questions planned excise tax on salt

A consumer group has questioned a bill seeking to impose new excise tax on salt content of manufactured and processed foods purportedly to address the health issue on too much intake by consumers, and urged government to instead look at the enforcement issue of industrial salt being used for human consumption.

House Bill 3719 has been filed in Congress seeking to amend Section 151 of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997. The measure aims to include a provision that states: “On manufactured goods that have sodium chloride, or any of its derivatives, as an ingredient and which include but are not limited to canned goods, processed food, and junk food a tax of P1.00 shall be levied on every milligram of sodium in excess of one-third of the allowable daily intake of sodium chloride as prescribed by the Department of Health.”

Once the law is in effect, the bill’s explanatory note said, it could be a way “to pressure citizens into adopting a healthier diet.”

Already, the Department of Finance threw its support to the measure, which could be part of the health tax package but said they should coordinate closely with the Department of Health.

In a statement, Laban Konsyumer Inc. President Victorio Mario Dimagiba said that if the objective of the bill is Nutrition Council guidelines. And what is the status of the roadmap for the development of the salt industry to be at par with appropriate sanitation, environment and health, then the bill’s proponent should better study the ASIN Law, which was passed in 1995.

According to the group, the ASIN Law declared that the proper consumption of salt is a nutrition policy of the State.

It requires that salt be iodized since it contains good nutrients for health especially for children. The law is being implemented by the National Nutrition Council. There should have been adequate and good achievement of the use of iodized salt at the local and regional level.

The consumer group has further urged the author of the bill to address the enforcement issue on the use of industrial salt for human consumption.

“Are salt ingredients of manufactured and processed foods in compliance with the National health issues,” the group said.

Dimagiba noted that the filing of the Bill was very ill timed amidst ongoing debate on excise taxes on sugar sweetened beverage.

According to the group, these are issues that should be investigated and studied. “What has the National Nutrition Council done so far after 20 years on the ASIN Law. It is not all about taxes,” said Dimagiba.