Senate Bill 1798

Sen. Bam to gov’t: Storm to intensify rice and price crisis, address rising prices ASAP

Aside from relief and rehabilitation efforts, a senator called on the government to work together to mitigate the effects of Typhoon Ompong on the prices of goods in affected areas.
 
“Patindi nang patindi ang pagsubok sa pamilyang Pilipino. Kailangan nating magkaisa upang solusyunan ang mga krisis ng bayan,” said Sen. Bam Aquino.
 
“Tiyak na tataas pa ang presyo ng bigas at pagkain dahil sa pananalasa ni Ompong. Kailangang agapan ng pamahalaan bago humagupit ang taas-presyo sa mga apektadong lugar,” added Sen. Bam, who has been pushing for the passage of Senate Bill No. 1798 or the Bawas Presyo Bill.
 
Sen. Bam said the recent typhoon affects supply of goods and may lead to spike in prices, placing additional burden on people who lost their homes and livelihood to Ompong.
 
“Mahihirapan din pong makabangon agad ang mga kababayan nating nasalanta kung sila ay nalulunod sa mataas na presyo ng bilihin,” said Sen. Bam. 
 
Sen. Bam said the government should take additional steps to keep the prices of goods in check, in addition to the implementation of price freeze in areas that will be placed under state of calamity.
 
“Maliban sa pagtiyak na naipatutupad ang price freeze sa mga lugar na sinalanta ng bagyo, dapat magkaroon din ng dagdag na pagkilos ang gobyerno para mapababa ang presyo ng bilihin,” added Sen. Bam.
 
Furthermore, Sen. Bam said concerned government agencies must ensure that there is enough supply of agricultural products in different parts of the country as well after the onslaught of the typhoon.
 
Sen. Bam has been working to lessen the effects of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law in the prices of goods and services.
 
The senator filed Senate Bill No. 1798 or the Bawas Presyo Bill to suspend the excise tax on fuel under the TRAIN Law when the average inflation rate surpasses the annual inflation target over a three-month period.
 
Sen. Bam stressed the need to enact his measure into law, saying it will stop the second round of increase in excise tax on petroleum products under the TRAIN Law in January 2019.

Sen. Bam to Duterte Admin: Tama na ang turuan, magtulungan para labanan ang krisis sa presyo at bigas

Sen. Bam Aquino challenged the administration to join forces with the opposition and work together to solve the rice and price crises.
 
“Imbis na magturuan, harapin natin ang krisis na nagpapahirap sa bayan,” said Sen. Bam during his privilege speech on the rising prices of goods and rice in the country.
 
“Nasa kamay po ng administrasyon ang pagpapatupad ng mga programa ng gobyerno. Tutukan sana ng gabinete ng Presidente para mabigyan ng ginhawa ang pamilyang Pilipino,” added Sen. Bam, one of four senators who voted against the ratification of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law.
 
Sen. Bam clarified that the opposition has been in talks not to overthrow the government, but to address the price and rice issues through “Oplan Ginhawa”.
 
“Ang tunay na plano ng oposisyon ay magsama-sama, gawin ang lahat ng aming kayang gawin, ibigay ang lahat na kaya naming ibigay para hindi na po malunod sa gastos at hindi mamatay sa hirap at gutom ang ating mga kababayan,” said Sen. Bam.
 
Under the “Oplan Ginhawa”, Sen. Bam gave three proposals to the administration to address the growing inflation and high prices of rice and ease the burden of the Filipino people, especially the poor.
 
First, Sen. Bam urged the government to fully implement the social mitigating measures under the TRAIN Law, including the unconditional cash transfer program, Pantawid Pasada Program and the 10-percent discount on NFA rice.
 
Sen. Bam also called on the government to replace incompetent NFA officials with people who can help fulfil the agency’s mandate, including the immediate return of the 15-day buffer stock.
 
Third, Sen. Bam renewed is call for the passage of his Senate Bill No. 1798 or the Bawas Presyo Bill to stop the second round of increase in excise tax on petroleum products under the TRAIN Law in January 2019.
 
“Basta’t pagtulungan ng Kongreso — at certified urgent ng taumbayan at sana po ng Pangulo – kaya natin gawing batas ito bago mag-Pasko,” said Sen. Bam.
 
“Tama na, sobra na ang pahirap sa taumbayan. Pagtulungan po natin ang Oplan Ginhawa. Pagtulungan natin ang mga solusyon sa krisis na ito,” Sen. Bam added.

Sen. Bam: ‘Wag paikutin ang taumbayan sa pahamak ng TRAIN Law

Sen. Bam Aquino disputed the government’s pronouncement that there will be no jobs lost if the second package of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) will be enacted into law.

“Sa TRAIN 1, sinabi ng gobyerno na hindi ito makaaapekto sa pagtaas ng presyo. Ngayong TRAIN 2, sinasabi nilang walang mawawalang trabaho ang mawawala. May maniniwala pa ba sa kanila?,” Sen. Bam asked

“Huwag na po niyong paikutin ang taumbayan. Nalulunod na nga sa taas presyo dahil sa TRAIN 1, lolokohin nyo pa pagdating dito sa TRAIN 2,” added Sen. Bam, one of four senators who voted against the ratification of the first TRAIN Law package. 

Sen. Bam also doubted the government’s capacity to deliver on time the financial package proposed in the House version for workers who might be displaced once TRAIN 2 is enacted into law. 

“Malapit nang matapos ang 2018 pero hanggang ngayon, hindi pa rin nila naibibigay ang pangakong tulong sa ilalim ng TRAIN 1 habang nalulunod na sa taas ng presyo ng bilihin ang mahihirap na Pilipino,” said Sen. Bam, referring to the unconditional cash transfer program and the Pantawid Pasada Program.

In a separate interview in San Fernando, Pampanga, Sen. Bam said locators in the Clark Freeport Zone might be forced to close shops and move to other countries if TRAIN 2 is enacted into law, which will lead to loss of jobs for thousands of Filipinos.

“Marami sa industry associations ang nagsabi na kapag natuloy ang TRAIN 2, aalis sila at lilipat sa Indonesia, Thailand at Vietnam. Mahalaga ang trabaho ng bawat Pilipino at kailangan natin itong protektahan,” said Sen. Bam, who committed to fight provisions in TRAIN 2 that will affect the employment of thousands of Filipinos.

“Marami na ngang palpak ang TRAIN 1, itutulak pa rin ang TRAIN 2. Siguraduhin na muna nating napag-aralan na talaga ang epekto ng mga panukalang ito kundi baka mayroon nanamang masasagasaang mahihirap na Pilipino,” said Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam emphasized that the government should first address the problems caused by TRAIN 1, like its effects on inflation and prices of goods, before pushing for TRAIN 2.

Instead of insisting on the passage of TRAIN 2, Sen. Bam said the government should support his measure that aims to address the high prices of goods caused by TRAIN 1.

Sen. Bam has filed Senate Bill No. 1798 or the Bawas Presyo Bill, which seeks to suspend the excise tax on fuel under the TRAIN Law when the average inflation rate surpasses the annual inflation target over a three-month period.

The senator is pushing for the passage of the measure since there is a scheduled second round of increase in excise tax on fuel under the TRAIN Law in January 2019.

Sen. Bam Aquino pushes ‘Bawas Presyo Bill’ amid rising gas prices

Sen. Bam Aquino urged the government to address the rising prices of goods, especially that of petroleum products, by supporting the passage of his measure dubbed as “Bawas Presyo Bill.”
 
“Huwag na patagalin pa ang paghihirap ng ating mga kababayan. May magagawa tayo para maibsan ang pagtaas ng presyo,” said Sen. Bam, one of four senators who voted against the ratification of the TRAIN Law.
 
“Simplehan lang po natin. Taas presyo ang problema, bawas presyo ang solusyon. Kailangang ipasa na ang Bawas Presyo Bill sa lalong madaling panahon,” added Sen. Bam, referring to his Senate Bill No. 1798.
 
Sen. Bam’s measure seeks to suspend the excise tax on fuel under the TRAIN Law when the average inflation rate surpasses the annual inflation target over a three-month period.
 
According to Sen. Bam, the government cannot escape the fact that its tax reform program, particularly the excise tax on fuel under the TRAIN Law, has led to the increase in prices of goods and services and the rise in inflation rate.
 
He added that under the TRAIN Law, another increase in the excise tax on fuel is scheduled for January 2019.
 
“Huwag naman natin hayaan na itaas pa ng gobyerno ang presyo ng petrolyo habang nalulunod ang mga pamilya sa gastos,” urged Sen. Bam.
 
Sen. Bam also urged Congress to prioritize the suspension and rollback of excise tax under the TRAIN Law, instead of focusing on the passage of TRAIN 2.

Senate Bill 1798: Automatic Suspension of the Excise Tax on Fuel Under RA 10963 (TRAIN Law)

Philippine laws must protect, serve and empower the Filipino people.

One major threat we need to protect our countrymen from is inflation – rising prices of goods and services that put a strain on the average Filipino’s daily struggle.

By the end of  2017, over 10 million Filipino families still considered themselves poor. That is 10 million households struggling to provide food and shelter, striving to earn education and desperately searching  to find sufficient livelihood.

Higit sa sampung milyong pamilya ang nababalisa tuwing tumtaas ang presyo ng bilihin tulad ng bigas, sardinas, kuryente at pamasahe.

More than just tightening their budget, these families will have to scramble for higher pay, for odd jobs and ‘sidelines’, and even micro-loans just to cover basic household expenses.

With so many Filipinos living in the fringes, the government needs to play an active role in managing inflation and ensure that our countrymen can survive the rising prices.

As such, this measure seeks to protect underprivileged Filipino families from increasing fuel prices, and its effect on the prices of goods and services, by suspending the excise tax on fuel under TRAIN when the average inflation rate surpasses the annual inflation target range over a three-month period.

Should the average inflation rate stabilize and fall below the annual target for three consecutive months, then the Department of Finance (DOF) will have the prerogative to lift the suspension and re-impose the excise tax on fuel based on its rate at the time of suspension.

While we have little control over global fuel prices, the imposition of excise taxes in our hands.

It is our responsibility to be flexible and responsive when the weight of inflation becomes too heavy for the poor Filipino families to bear.

Progress cannot be built at the expense of hungry Filipinos with little opportunity to improve their day-to-day lives.

Our challenge is to strike a balance between our macroeconomic goals and providing relief and support to Filipinos with the least in our society; and with open minds, open hearts, creativity and innovation, I believe we can find that delicate balance and create a prosperous future for all.

 

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