Dr. Tony Leachon, a cardiologist, said Duterte's campaign to make his hometown Davao smoke-free can be expanded on a national scale.
"Perhaps he is busy now with the first six months, but I think the thrust right now on free hospitalization has an impact on this because the funds that will be generated from the sin tax will be actually decreased. This will hamper or dampen the projects of the government to provide universal health care for all," Leachon said in a forum.
He emphasized that tobacco kills more people than illegal drugs, which has been the target of the president's centerpiece campaign.
"It's very close. Drugs and tobacco are both addictions, and to me, tobacco is the number 1 killer in the country, it's public enemy number 1," he said.
"If the President can train his sights on smoking, he can be the game-changer of the President we wanted during the election. It's about time to focus on health services and veer away from illegal drug trade, anyway may impact na siya doon. Dapat ang focus is the delivery of services. Kulang na kulang 'yun," he added.
Another sin tax law advocate, Dr. Antonio Dans, said government should also focus on tobacco.
"We have to bring out this fact: illegal drugs destroy lives, but tobacco kills. It's as big, if not a bigger problem," Dans said.
According to experts, the current sin tax law has not decreased the number of current smokers in the country. However, the law prevented more people from taking up the habit, especially among the poor and the young.
"Kasi ang premise diyan, ang naninigarilyo are usually the poor and the young. If the taxes are higher you'll prevent them [from smoking]," said Leachon.
House Bill 4144, filed in October by ABS party-list Rep. Eugene Michael de Vera, took weeks to hurdle the ways and means committee and get approved in plenary on third and final reading. Other bills take years languishing in Congress.
