Foreign business chambers are seeking for reconsideration on the proposed new taxes on junk food and higher tax rate on sugar sweetened beverages so as not to aggravate the already elevated inflation level in the country and avoid discrimination to certain businesses. In a statement, the members of the Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines (JFC) said that while they recognized the need for government to boost revenues and support initiatives to improve the health and well-being of Filipinos, they also urged for careful reassessment of any additional tax measures that will be inflationary for Filipino consumers and discriminatory to certain businesses. “We believe it is not the right time to introduce additional taxes on products primarily consumed by middle and lower middle-class households because the country is still recovering from the pandemic and a prolonged period of high inflation,” said the JFC in a statement. According to the foreign business groups, the proposal would also affect micro and small enterprises that rely on selling these products as a source of income. “Imposing additional taxes will only strain the capacity of businesses in affected sectors to continue operations and grow their businesses, especially when issues related to the supply of certain raw materials remain unresolved. This could potentially reduce competition in the market to the detriment of Filipino consumers and the growth of the economy driven by consumption,” the group added. Instead, the JFC recommended that the impact on consumption and health of the existing SSB tax imposed under Republic Act 10963, otherwise known as the TRAIN Law, be fully studied and presented before any additional taxes are imposed. They also strongly recommended the prioritization of improvements to tax administration—such as in the proposed Ease of Paying Taxes Act—and nontax interventions as alternative, non-inflationary measures to raise government revenues and improve health outcomes of Filipinos. The JFC is composed of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Australian-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines, Inc., Korean Chamber of Commerce Philippines and the Philippine Association of Multinational Companies Regional Headquarters, Inc.