According to the Inquirer, the Philippines Bureau of Internal Revenue is planning to introduce a digital system to track the supply and distribution of tobacco products within the country.
The system aims to provide consumers with a means to verify the authenticity of their purchased tobacco products, thereby combating the illegal trade of tobacco and reducing tax revenue losses. This measure will improve the existing Internal Revenue Stamp Integrated System (IRSIS) used by the national tax agency, which is responsible for managing the application of tax stamps on taxed tobacco products.
Romeo Lumagui Jr., the Director of the National Bureau of Internal Revenue, announced that a digital system will be incorporated into tobacco tax labels, featuring QR codes which consumers can scan with their smartphones to verify the legitimacy of the tobacco products they purchase. The Bureau has started consultations with potential suppliers, with the aim of implementing this scheme by January 2025.
Luma Gui stated that the National Tax Bureau is currently facing some challenges in terms of verifying the effectiveness of labels and lacking sufficient manpower.
He expressed, "Through this solution, we will obtain a large number of devices, and the public can also assist us. We will be able to identify the regions where these illegal products are concentrated."
The National Tax Agency is set to release a new memorandum soon, according to Lu Magui, which will update the schedule for fines and penalties for violations of consumption tax regulations, as part of further efforts to "deter" tobacco smuggling, ahead of the introduction of a digital tracking system.
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