MANILA – The Senate will prioritize the approval of a bill seeking higher taxes on tobacco in the remaining session days before it goes on break, a lawmaker said Thursday.
The Department of Finance is pushing for the measure to help fund universal health care. The Senate’s version of the measure seeks to bring the tobacco tax to P60 per pack over 5 years, double the current P32.
Since the measure was certified as urgent, bicameral meetings between the Senate and the House can be scheduled on the weekend with the following weekdays dedicated to its approval, said Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian.
The plenary debate for the bill will start next week, Majority Leader Sen. Miguel Zubiri earlier said. (ABS-CBN News)
