Philippine tobacco growers have repeatedly protested against what they describe as discriminatory taxation of their industry and are demanding the same taxation levels for tobacco as for beer and other products

According to a spokesman for the important Northern Luzon growing region, under Bill HP 7198, the cigarette industry will pay three times the tax of beer and almost 2.5 times the tax for distilled spirits. Of total taxes levied on local cigarette firms, Fortune Tobacco Corp. will pay about 85 per cent while rival La Suerte Cigar and Cigarette will pay 13 per cent.