With the country’s inflation rate breaching the 5-percent mark in June, Senator Bam Aquino is hoping President Duterte would announce the suspension of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law in his State of the Nation Address (SONA).
“Hindi na makatarungan ang pagpataw ng excise tax sa petrolyo habang pataas ng pataas ang presyo nito sa merkado. Nalulunod na ang taumbayan sa pagtaas ng presyo ng bilihin,” said Sen. Bam.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) announced on Thursday that inflation rate reached 5.2 percent in June, the fastest level in at least five years.
On Tuesday, oil companies raised their pump prices by P0.65 per liter for gasoline, P0.55 for diesel and P0.70 for kerosene. Starting this month, the electric bill of Manila Electric Company consumers will reflect a higher generation charge due to tight power supply and the further weakening of the peso.
“Ito ang numero unong alalahanin ng mga pamilya kaya sana talakayin ito ng Pangulo sa kanyang SONA. Tugunan natin ang pangangailangan ng Pilipino. I-roll-back at suspindihin na ang excise tax ng TRAIN,” added Sen. Bam, one of four senators who voted against the ratification of the TRAIN Law.
During his dialogue with different sectors, Sen. Bam said he has received many grumblings about the high prices of goods and services and the lack of necessary support from the government.
Sen. Bam insisted that the suspension and rollback of the excise tax on fuel under the TRAIN Law should provide welcome relief for Filipinos who are burdened by high prices of goods and services.
“Sana marinig ng Pangulo ang hinaing ng taumbayan,” said Sen. Bam.
Sen. Bam has submitted a bill seeking to suspend and roll back the excise tax on fuel under the TRAIN Law once average inflation rate surpasses the annual inflation target over a three-month period.
Also, Sen. Bam is pushing for the full implementation of mitigating measures under the TRAIN Law, such as the unconditional cash transfer program for poor families and the Pantawid Pasada for jeepney operators and drivers.
Senator Bam Aquino will file a measure that will restore his earlier proposal to stop the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law once the inflation rate breaches “target range.”
“Importanteng may mga safeguards ang TRAIN para mai-preno ang pagpataw buwis kapag sumobra ang pagtaas ng presyo ng bilihin,” said Sen. Bam during the hearing of the Committee on Economic Affairs on TRAIN Law.
“We pushed for these safeguards even before the TRAIN Law was passed, but they were disregarded. Siguro ngayong nakikita nilang nahihirapan na ang taumbayan, susuportahan na nila ang amyenda kong ito,” said Sen. Bam, one of four senators who voted against the ratification of the TRAIN Law.
During the TRAIN deliberations, the Senate approved Sen. Bam’s amendment to include a safeguard where the implementation of TRAIN Law will be stopped once it breached the “target range.”
However, Sen. Bam said the provision was not included in the bicameral conference committee and the approved version of the measure.
“Kung hindi inalis ang safeguard na ito, napatigil na sana natin ang TRAIN Law ngayong napakataas na ng presyo ng mga bilihin,” said Sen. Bam.
Earlier, Sen. Bam warned the country’s economic managers, led by the Department of Finance (DOF), that will country’s inflation rate will surpass the four-percent mark due to the TRAIN Law.
“Noon pa tayo nagbabala sa pamahalaan na ang mahihirap ang masasagasaan ng TRAIN, kaya tayo kumontra sa pagpasa nito. Kailangan nating banggain ang mga repormang lalong nagpapahirap sa taumbayan,” said Sen. Bam.
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