Transforming Public Health through Strategic Taxation 31 March 2025 As the world deals with multiple public health and economic crises, innovative solutions are urgently needed. Health taxes, such as excise taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and sugary beverages, have emerged as a powerful tool to address these challenges. These taxes not only discourage the consumption of harmful products but also generate significant revenue for governments, which can be reinvested in public health initiatives. SG-PSMG and SG-HSD organized a webinar on "Transforming Public Health through Strategic Taxation" to discuss the potential of health taxes in mitigating public health crises and supporting economic resilience. The webinar, organized in collaboration with the Asia Pacific Tax Hub and the Center for Global Development (CGD), provided a platform for experts to share insights and discuss the latest research and regional experiences. The webinar featured key presentations, including a summary of the Task Force on Fiscal Policy for Health report, the Philippine experience with health taxes, and recent ADB work on excise tax policies by the Asia Pacific Tax Hub. Participants gained a deeper understanding of how health taxes can contribute to a healthier and more economically stable future. The event took place on 31 March 2025, from 4–5 PM Manila time (9–10 AM BST) via Zoom (password: ADBhsd2025), offering participants the opportunity to learn more about the transformative potential of health taxes and engage with leading experts in the field. Program and Learning Materials 31 March 2025 Session / Activity Title Speaker(s) Welcome Remarks Eduardo Banzon Introduction Introduction Pete Baker, Deputy Director, Center for Global Development Summary of Task Force Report and the Philippine Experience Cesar Purisima, Senior Fellow, Milken Institute ADB Work on Health Taxes Excise Tax Policy on Cigarette Use Sandeep Bhattacharya, Senior Public Management Specialist, ADB ADB Work on Health Taxes Excise Tax Policy and Cigarette Use in Five High-burden Asian Countries: China, India, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam This presentation analyzes excise tax policies on cigarette use and smoking prevalence in five high-burden Asian countries: China, India, the… Hana Ross Alcohol Taxes ADB Work on Health Taxes Rajeev Cherukapalli, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health ADB Work on Health Taxes Jeffrey Drope, Research Professor, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health ADB Work on Health Taxes Indonesia Experience on Cross Price Elasticities for Tobacco Taxes Krisna Gupta, Lecturer, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Disclaimer The views expressed on this website are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) or its Board of Governors or the governments they represent. ADB does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this publication and accepts no responsibility for any consequence of their use. By making any designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area, or by using the term “country” in this document, ADB does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area. Event Coordinator/s Eduardo Banzon Michelle Apostol Related Full Agenda ADB Organizer/s Health Sector Group Human and Social Development Sector Office Read Also ADB's SECURE Webinar Series Health in Asia and the Pacific Topics Governance and Public Sector Management Health