President Rodrigo Duterte urged on Tuesday Congress to immediately pass the bill increasing the excise tax on alcohol, heated tobacco and vapor products.

Duterte, in a letter sent to Senate President Vicente Sotto III and copy furnished to House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, said he certified to "the necessity of the immediate enactment of Senate Bill No. 1074."

The bill is entitled as "An Act Increasing the Excise Tax on Alcohol Products, Heated Tobacco Products and Vapor Products, Amending for this Purpose Sections 141, 142, 143, 144, 147, 150, and 288 of Republic Act No. 8424, As Amended, Otherwise Known As The National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as Amended, and For Other Purposes."

Duterte said the immediate passage of the proposed measure would address "the urgent need to generate additional revenue to support the effective implementation of the Universal Health Care Act and to further protect the right to health of the people." Celerina Monte/DMS