Camille Naredo

A man lights a cigarette outside a small restaurant in Mandaluyong, a day before World Health Organization’s “World No Tobacco Day”, May 30, 2019.

A man lights a cigarette outside a small restaurant in Mandaluyong, a day before World Health Organization’s “World No Tobacco Day”, May 30, 2019. President Duterte certified the necessity of the immediate enactment of Senate Bill No. 2233 last Tuesday, which seeks to increase excise taxes on tobacco products. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

World No Tobacco Day

Agatha Gregorio

ABS-CBN News

MANILA -- House Committee on Ways and Means Chairperson Miro Quimbo said on Tuesday he considers it &quot;alarming&quot; that excise tax collection on tobacco products decreased by around P10 billion in 2026 compared to the previous year despite increases in sin taxes.This indicates more tobacco products are smuggled, according to Quimbo. &quot;It&#x27;s very alarming because for the first time last year in 2025, nagkaroon tayo ng increase in collection, and we actually met our target sa tax collection ng tobacco at tsaka ng sin products. Pero for this year, it is down by P10 billion,&quot; Quimbo said after the hearing. &quot;More than 10 percent ang nawala sa taon na ito. Obviously, nakakaalarma siya kasi nakita natin sa data na ang consumption ng sigarilyo o ng tobacco ay umaakyat, pero ang collection naman ay bumababa. So ibigsabihin mas maraming mga tobacco products ang illegal, smuggled o hindi nagbabayad ng buwis,&quot; Quimbo added.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/8/4/higher-taxes-eyed-on-beverages-e-cigarettes-plastics-to-offset-tax-relief-1810">READ: Higher taxes eyed on beverages, e-cigarettes, plastics to offset P67-B losses from tax relief</a></div>During the House panel&#x27;s hearing, Department of Finance (DOF) Undersecretary Karlo Adriano cited Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) data in saying excise tax on tobacco products collected from January to June is at P69.2 billion.But in the same period last year, Adriano said this was at P79.2 billion. &quot;This is based on BIR data as of August 3, 2026. Very preliminary. It&#x27;s at P69.2 billion… From last year, given the same period, we collected 79.2 billion. So down by more or less 10 billion,&quot; Adriano told lawmakers.Quimbo replied: &quot;That&#x27;s why I wanted data to come out so we can see what is happening on the ground, why that is happening in spite of the fact that we&#x27;ve had increases in the sin tax on an annual basis.&quot;The committee will call on the Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Customs (BOC), BIR, and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to attend the next meeting, according to Quimbo.

House Committee on Ways and Means Chairperson Miro Quimbo said on Tuesday he considers it "alarming" that excise tax collection on tobacco products decreased by around P10 billion in 2026 compared to the previous year despite increases in sin taxes.

House Committee on Ways and Means Chairperson Miro Quimbo said on Tuesday he considers it "alarming" that excise tax collection on tobacco products decreased by around P10 billion in 2026 compared to the previous year despite increases in sin taxes.

House tax chair raises concern over drop in tobacco excise tax collection, says more products smuggled

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House tax chair raises concern over drop in tobacco excise tax collection, says more products smuggled

Agatha Gregorio,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 11, 2026 03:53 PM PHT

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Updated August 11, 2026 04:05 PM PHT

Read More:

excise tax

tobacco

House of Representatives

Miro Quimbo

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