Editor’s note: With the passage of the Universal Health Care Law, the prices of cigarettes are expected to increase. DNX did an informal survey in the city to get a snapshot of how much lung-burning sensation sticks are going to cost with additional taxes.
DNX Research did an informal survey using convenience/quota sampling to determine the current prices of cigarettes per stick. The team did a survey of 20 coffee shops and sari-sari stores to determine which brands of cigarettes are the most popular, and which ones have the lowest or highest prices.
- Based on data gathered, the most popular brand of cigarettes is Camel, with all 20 outlets selling the brand. The next most popular
are the Marlboro brand and its variants. Marlboro Blast is sold at 18 of the 20 outlets surveyed. This is followed by Marlboro Red (15 outlets selling it), Fortune (12 outlets), Marlboro Black (12 outlets), Marlboro Light (11 outlets).
The rest are Hope (carried nine outlets), Mighty (four outlets), Marvels (two shops), Philip Morris and Jackpot (one each). - Marlboro Blast remains to the most expensive with an average price of P7.2 per stick, followed by Marlboro Black (P7.17), then Marlboro Red (P7.08), and Marlboro Lights (P7). Camel follows at P6.3, then Fortune (P6), Hope (P5.875), Mighty (P5.5), Philip Morris (P5), Marvels (P4.5), and Jackpot (P4).
- Of the outlets surveyed, the newest business has been operating for only eight months, while the oldest has been around for 40 years. On
the average , the participants surveyed have been around for 10.35 years. - Nine of the businesses source their cigarettes from Taytay Store along Burgos Avenue. Others got it from a variety of sources like Libertad, Grace Pharmacy (La Salle), TJ Mart, Fair Mart, Jasmon Store, AOV, Central Market, KJ Fairmart, 888, and Lopue’s Department Stores.
- Senate Bill 2233 proposes the following increases in the prices:
P45 per pack by January 1, 2020 (or P2.25 per stick)
P50 per pack by January 1, 2021 (or P2.50 per stick)
P55 per pack by January 1, 2022 (or P2.75 per stick) and
P60 per pack by January 2, 2023 (or P3 per stick
