The Department of Finance (DOF) will move to make sure sin products, such as cigarettes and liquor, will not be available for sale online.
Carlos Dominguez, DOF secretary, told finance reporters in a Viber group message over the weekend the agency will impose a ban on online selling of these products, after some cigarettes were seen for sale at discounted prices in an online marketplace app. Discounts range from 40 to 50 percent of the suggested retail price.
Last weekend, cigarettes could be searched for sale in an online selling app at discounted rates, ranging from 40 percent to 50 percent off. Dominguez, upon being alerted on such, said he will call the e-commerce company. As of press time, these products could no longer be searched in the app.
Republic Act (RA) No. 9211, also known as An Act Regulating the Packaging, Use, Sale, Distribution and Advertisements of Tobacco Products And For Other Purposes, also states that it is unlawful for any retailer to sell or distribute tobacco products to minors.
However, a person of any age can easily access items on sale online. “Unless the vending machine has a mechanism for age verification, the sale or distribution of tobacco products to minors by means of a vending machine or any self-service facility or similar contraption or device is prohibited, except at point-of-sale establishments,” RA No. 9211 also states.
Earlier, Finance Undersecretary Gil Beltran said the government projected P13.2 billion worth of incremental revenues from sin products this year, lower than its previous estimate of P37.1 billion. Last year, collections reached P269.1 billion.
This is despite new levies on heated tobacco and vapor products, as well as higher taxes on alcohol and tobacco that were introduced this year.
With Additional Reports: Malaya.com.ph, Angela Celis; ManilaTimes.net, Mayvellin Caraballo
Photo Courtesy: businessmirror.com.ph thecorpusjuris.com.ph, cvhevalaswaterstore.com
