烟草在线据《马尼拉标准今日报》报道编译　　尽管财政部长塞萨尔·普里西马承认提税不会导致吸烟者人数的减少，但是参议员将询问烟草行业的利益相关人对政府调整烟酒消费税提议的意见。

　　“我们认为大幅提税，导致零售价格增长，不会使烟草消费急剧下降，”普里西马在此前参议院筹款委员会召开的听证会上表示。

　　引用一个研究，他说，最近的经验证明，在烟草税和价格提高的情况下，卷烟消费甚至在增加。

　　普里西马说，从2004年到2011年，卷烟价格增加了61%之多，但是消费量没有下降。

　　他指出烟草税多年来的增长，导致零售价格相应增长了高达99%。

　　《共和国9334号法案》规定，从2005年1月1日起，每隔一年，提高烟草和酒类产品的税收，直到2011年1月1日为止。

　　但是筹款委员会主席参议员拉尔夫·瑞克图强调，正在进行的税收改革讨论中最重要的是提出有效税率。

　　他强调，参议院多数议员的想法是提出一个对所有参与者都有利的税收结构。

　　对参议院议长胡安·庞塞·恩里莱而言：“如果要增加税收，你真的认为我们可以减少吸烟者的人数，或者他们会减少消费的烟支数量但是将继续抽烟吗？”

　　工会主席Rodelito Atienza问道：“如果声明的目标无法实现，为什么财政部要伤害烟酒行业中数百万的利益相关者，使他们失去工作或生活来源呢？”

　　联合英格鲁美国烟草公司（Associated Anglo-American Tobacco Corp）的联合副总裁布莱克·迪称，政府的“严厉”是不必要的。他说，有其他不会造成这么大影响的筹措资金的方法。

　　他说，在这个问题上政府应该保持开放的思维。有很多方法可以实现政府的目标，而不会破坏该行业，他说。

　　卫生部长恩里克·奥纳（Enrique Ona）说，国家现在是东南亚的头号烟草消费国，每个菲律宾吸烟者每年估计吸1073支烟。

　　他指出，烟草使用是造成世界上八大可预防疾病中六种的风险因素。

Philippines: Tax Hike Didn't Cut Smoking - Study

　　Senators will ask the stakeholders in the tobacco industry on the government proposal to restructure excise taxes on tobacco and alcohol despite the admission made by Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima that the tax incrase did not lead to a reduction in the number of smokers.

　　"We believe that increasing taxes dramatically and therefore, increasing retail prices, will not lead to a dramatic decline in consumption," Purisima said during an earlier hearing conducted by the Senate ways and means committee.

　　Citing a study, he said recent experience proved that cigarette consumption even went up　amid increases in tobacco taxes and prices.

　　Purisima said that cigarette prices from year 2004 to 2011　increased by as much as 61 percent, but consumption did not go down.

　　He was referring to tobacco tax increases, which over the years, had led to corresponding hikes in the retail prices by as much as 99 percent.

　　Republic Act 9334 mandates tax hikes on tobacco and alcohol products starting Jan. 1, 2005 and every other year until Jan. 1, 2011.

　　But ways and means committee chairman Senator Ralph Recto stressed that what is important in the ongoing tax reform deliberations is coming up with the effective tax rate.

　　He noted that it was the sentiment of majority in the Senate to come up with a tax structure that would benefit all players equally.

　　Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile for his part said: "If are going to increase the tax that high, do you really think we can reduce the number of smokers or they will just reduce the number of sticks they are consuming but they will continue to smoke?"

　　Labor Union (PMFTCLU) president Rodelito Atienza asked: "if the declared objective will not be achieved, why is the DOF willing to cause so much injury to millions of stakeholders in both alcohol and tobacco industries who stand to lose their jobs or source of livelihood?"

　　Blake Dy, vice president of Associated Anglo-American Tobacco Corp., said that government was being "heavy-handed" needlessly. There are alternative ways of raising the money without causing such radical displacement, he said.

　　He said the government should keep　an open mind on this matter. There are a number of ways to achieve government's objectives without destroying the industry, he said.

　　Health Secretary Enrique Ona said the country is now Southeast Asia's number one tobacco-consuming country with every Filipino smoker puffing an estimated 1,073 sticks yearly.

　　He pointed out that tobacco use is a risk factor in six of the world's eight leading causes of preventable diseases. Enditem