Manila: The government should continue clamping down on illicit tobacco trade as the continued leakage of revenue hampers the delivery of much-needed services to the people, a lawmaker from one of the country's major tobacco-producing provinces said Monday.
According to Philippines News Agency, Abra (Lone District) Rep. JB Bernos emphasized the detrimental impact of illegal tobacco products on the government's ability to serve the populace, citing the ongoing crisis as a critical backdrop. "Dahil sa paglipana ng illegal tobacco products ay napipilayan ang pamahalaan at naaapektuhan ang kakayahan nitong maglingkod sa ating mga kababayan, lalo na ngayong nasa gitna tayo ng krisis," Bernos stated, highlighting the urgency of the situation.
The lawmaker's appeal comes in response to reports indicating that the Philippines lost approximately PHP141 billion in government revenue due to illicit tobacco trade in 2024 and 2025. A report released earlier by the European Union-Association of Southeast Asian Nations Business Council (EU-ABC) and Euromonitor International Ltd. positioned the country as having the third-highest revenue loss among six Southeast Asian nations surveyed, trailing only Indonesia and Malaysia.
The report further disclosed that about 85.6 percent of e-vapes sold in the Philippines last year were illicit, with illegal cigarettes making up 25.3 percent of the local market, a figure significantly surpassing the ASEAN-6 average of 16.1 percent.
Bernos urged for greater collaboration among the police, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Bureau of Customs, and local government units to enhance anti-smuggling operations. He also stressed the importance of improved regional coordination among ASEAN members to address monitoring and enforcement gaps, particularly across borders, and advocated for continued investment in customs technology, such as advanced digital track-and-trace systems.
"Our fight against illicit tobacco is not only for farmers and legitimate traders who are being displaced, but for the entire nation. Simply put, more revenue means more services," Bernos concluded, underscoring the broader national implications of the issue.
