The government needs to do more to raise concern over and mitigate the health, societal, and psychological harms of alcohol, a group of health advocates noted in a press conference on Thursday.

The Sin Tax Coalition, a broad group of medical societies, youth, and civil society groups, called on the President to designate September as Alcohol Harms Awareness Month. The coalition shed light on harms brought about by alcohol, including cancers and heart disease, as well as road crashes and mental health issues, especially among youth. 

Dr. Maria Asuncion Silvestre, a maternal and newborn health expert and public health advocate, emphasized the catastrophic harms of alcohol on women and children, including fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and violence and abuse associated with alcohol.

“We need stronger and sustained enforcement of the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013, including random breath testing, to reduce road deaths and injuries resulting from drink driving,” said Dinna Louise C. Dayao, a communication consultant of the Move as One Coalition.

According to the Global Burden of Disease Study published by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, every day, an average of over 10 people die in the Philippines due to road crashes. About three of these deaths are attributable to alcohol as a risk factor. 

The group called on the government to enact higher taxes on alcohol to bring down consumption and reduce associated harms.

Representative Ray Reyes of the AnaKalusugan Partylist announced that he has filed a bill designating September as Alcohol Awareness Month. Rep. Reyes is also developing several other pieces of alcohol control legislation, including a bill raising alcohol taxes across the board and a bill providing funding for the purchase of breathalyzers for enforcement of the Anti Drunk Driving Act.

The coalition also called on the Department of Health to release its Administrative Order detailing its comprehensive alcohol control strategy at the soonest possible time.

Watch the recording of the event here: https://www.facebook.com/BawasBisyo/videos/2269467183434708 

Sign the petition here: bit.ly/CallforAHAMSignatories