Abra lone district Rep. JB Bernos is urging the government to intensify its crackdown on counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes, warning that the illegal trade is severely harming local tobacco farmers.
“Ang mga peke at smuggled na sigarilyo ay malaking banta sa ating mga tobacco farmers, hindi lamang dito sa Abra, kundi sa buong bansa,” Bernos said in a statement.
A Stratbase study found that illicit cigarettes reached 9.52 billion sticks in 2022 and may climb to 11.13 billion by year-end. The Bureau of Customs also recorded PHP13.2 billion worth of illicit tobacco products seized from 2019 to 2023.
Bernos stressed that tobacco excise taxes fund essential health programs, with PHP174.13 billion collected in 2021 alone, according to DOH’s 2023 Sin Tax Annual Report. Tobacco-producing provinces also receive billions in shares meant to support farmers and diversify their livelihood.
He warned that the widespread sale of untaxed cigarettes forces farmers to slash prices just to compete, putting their livelihood at greater risk.
Bernos appealed to sari-sari store owners to stop selling illicit cigarettes, reminding them of heavy penalties. The National Tobacco Administration recently announced fines of PHP50,000 to PHP200,000 and jail terms of two to five years for selling counterfeit tobacco.
Retailers selling products without tax stamps may face five to eight years in prison, while those stocking cigarettes without graphic health warnings risk fines of up to PHP100,000 and a one-year jail term.