MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The proposed ProGRESS bill is facing industry concerns over a potential 233% increase in sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes, which could drive up prices, burden businesses, and threaten millions of livelihoods.
At the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum, Beverage Industry Association of the Philippines (BIAP) President Juan Lorenzo Tañada warned that the proposed tax hike could not come at a worse time, citing the sector’s estimated $109.2 billion contribution to annual GDP and 8.9 million direct and indirect jobs.
Meanwhile, Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) senior research fellow Dr. John Paolo Rivera stressed that tax policy must be guided by credible evidence, balancing public health goals with consumer purchasing power and business sustainability.
Industry stakeholders urge lawmakers to ensure that tax relief does not come at the expense of higher prices, business growth, and Filipino jobs.
