ASOG holds forum on the Challenge of Illicit Tobacco

The Ateneo School of Government (ASoG) through the Ateneo Policy Center (APC), with funding from Canada’s International Development Research Center (IDRC), held a forum to discuss “The Challenge of Illicit Tobacco” on the morning of July 24, 2019, at the Eastwood Richmonde Hotel. This first annual event heads off a three-year project, “Advancing Tobacco Taxation in Southeast Asia (ATT-SEA)”, which aims to provide evidence for tax policy discussions surrounding tobacco taxation and implementation  in the region. The event was attended by more than 60 participants from various government agencies, academe, and local NGOs.

Dr. Hana Ross of the University of Cape Town and Dr. Ulysses Dorotheo of Southeast Asian Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA) shared their knowledge in the economics of tobacco and tobacco control and advocacy.

While Dr. Felix Muga and Dr. Nadia Doytch of ASoG presented their initial results in terms of calculated tax gap in illicit cigarettes packs and the correlation of illicit tobacco consumption to the Philippine economic growth and its youth population.

Also, the chosen research fellows from Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines (Gianna Gayle Amul, Wency Bui Kher Thinng, and Lester Geroy) were briefly introduced to the audience and discussed about their research proposals.

Lastly, our panelists, Ralph Emerrson Degollacion of HealthJustice Philippines, former commissioner of Bureau of Internal Revenue, Ms. Kim Henares and former commissioner of Bureau of Customs, Mr. Sunny Sevilla gave their own perspective about the illicit tobacco in the Philippines and how did their respective agencies try to monitor and combat issues relating to illicit tobacco.