Senator Win Gatchalian said the passage of a bill expanding the scope of alcohol denaturing in the country will spur growth in the personal care, cleaning, and health-related sectors.

The Senate recently approved on third and final reading the proposed amendments to Sections 134 and 168 of the National Internal Revenue Code, which currently limits denaturing to locally produced ethyl alcohol. Denaturing is the process of mixing a substance with ethyl alcohol to render it undrinkable.

If enacted into law, the measure would allow the denaturing of imported ethyl alcohol in the Philippines, making it exempt from excise tax and more accessible to industries that rely on denatured alcohol as raw material.

“Oras na maisabatas, ito ay magpapahintulot sa mga mahahalagang sektor na makakuha ng mga materyales nang mas episyente, mabawasan ang gastos sa produksyon, at manatiling competitive,” said Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Committee on Ways and Means.