On the morning of 19 October 2016, the Congressional Committee on Ways and Means chaired by Rep. Dakila Carlo E. Cua held its first hearing on the proposal by DOF to collect new taxes in lieu of the last tranche of sin taxes this year.  This is the current administration’s way of making up for its promise to cut down on private and corporate taxes after assumption.  Authors of the bill are spouses Rep. Horacio P. Suansing Jr. (2nd District, Sultan Kudarat; in white long-sleeved working barong) and Rep. Estrellita Bito-Onon Suansing (1st District, Nueva Ecija; in dark maroon dress with small polka dots).  The Bill seeks to impose an excise tax of Ten Pesos (Php 10.00) on sugar- sweetened concentrate, powdered or ready-to-drink beverages per liter of volume capacity.  This includes soda, fruit drinks, sport drinks, sweetened tea/coffee drinks, energy drinks and all non-alcoholic beverages.  100% pure fruit/vegetable and yogurt juices are exempted.  So are meal replacement beverages and all milk products and its alternatives.  Present were Reps. Jose Salceda, Baby Arenas and Prospero Pichay among many others. The DOF was represented by the very capable Usec. Karl Kendrick Chua while the private sector included Beverage Industry Assn. of the Phils. (BIAP), Alaska Milk Corp., PRA and PAGASA.