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By Prince Golez, Manila Reporter
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Saturday, January 7, 2017
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MANILA – Lawmakers are opposing the proposed imposition of higher oil taxes.
Senate minority leader Ralph Recto spoke out against the proposal, arguing that “there is no fiscal crisis.”
Recto said the government should instead improve collection efficiency and effectively address smuggling.
“The timing is also bad now that oil prices are on its way up,” the senator said.
“In addition, government collects more taxes when the economy grows faster. Then grow the economy. Spend the budget first.”
The plan to raise taxes on fuel products on top of the 12 percent value added tax is “not acceptable,” according to Sen. Leila de Lima.
De Lima said that a higher fuel tax will lead to fare increases and rise in food prices.
“Galit ba talaga sila sa mahihirap? Palagi na lang mahihirap ang biktima, sa war on drugs mahihirap lang ang biktima, pati ba naman sa pagkolekta ng buwis, ang mahihirap pa din ang dapat pasakitan?”
This should be studied “extensively,” she said adding that the move will affect the poorest Filipinos the most.
Senate majority leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said the plan requires “further study.”
“We have economic experts and members with a lot of common sense therefore the issues can be fully discussed,” Sotto said.
Meanwhile, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian expressed support to plan of the Duterte administration to impose tax increase for oil products.
But, the government should protect the consumers from price hikes, said Gatchalian who chairs the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs.
Former Kabataan party-list representative Terry Ridon said the government should look into other ways to raise the revenue for infrastructure projects.
Budget secretary Benjamin Diokno previously said that they need between P8 trillion and P9 trillion to finance President Rodrigo Duterte’s infrastructure program.
“While it is correct that the President said that infrastructure is a pillar of the Duterte administration, the President also put at the center of government the welfare of ordinary Filipinos,” said Ridon, now chief of the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor./PN
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