ASOG conducts 2nd annual workshop on tobacco taxation

Last August 10, 2020, the Ateneo School of Government (ASOG) through the Ateneo Policy Center (APC) held its second annual workshop on tobacco taxation. This is part of the three-year project on “Advancing Tobacco Taxation in Southeast Asia” funded by Canada’s International Development Research Center (IDRC), which aims to provide evidence for tobacco tax policy discussions in the region.

The project’s research fellows presented the preliminary findings of their research, which commenced last July 2019. Ms. Gianna Gayle Amul of National University of Singapore (NUS) discussed her study on Singapore’s policies in controlling illicit tobacco trade and standardized packaging. Dr. Lester Geroy and Mr. Paolo Encarnacion of Alliance for Improving Health Outcome (AIHO) presented their assessment of illicit tobacco trade policy and program implementation in the Philippines. Dr. Wency Bui and Dr. Norashidah Mohamed of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) shared what drives tax avoidance and tax evasion in Malaysia. Lastly, Ms. Monica Lavares and Dr. Valerie Ulep of the Ateneo Policy Center presented the analysis of the trend of illicit tobacco in the Philippines from 1998-2018 and the preliminary framework for a country-level tobacco tax evasion index, respectively.
 
The workshop was attended by international and local experts, namely Dr. Hana Ross of University of Cape Town, Dr. Nadia Doytch of City University of New York, Dr. Ulysses Dorotheo of South East Asia Tobacco Control Alliance, Former Bureau of Customs Commissioner Mr. John Philip Sevilla, and Dr. Beverly Ho of the Department of Health. The workshop was moderated by Ms. Ariza Francisco, Deputy Director of the Ateneo Policy Center.