Senator Roxas seeks VAT exemption for senior citizens

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas filed a bill last week seeking to exempt senior citizens from the value added tax for medicines they buy in addition to the 20% discounts that they already get.

"Mahalaga ang ating mga senior citizens sa pagsisigurong matibay ang pundasyon ng ating mga pamilya. Isang malaking ginhawa kung sa kanilang pamilya ang ma-exempt sila sa VAT para magkaroon sila ng murang gamot (Our senior citizens are important in maintaining the stability of the foundations of Filipino families. It will be a big relief of them if they are exempted from paying VAT on medicines)," said Roxas, primary author of the new Cheaper Medicines Law.

Roxas' Senate Bill No. 3061 seeks to amend Republic Act No. 9257 or the Senior Citizens Act of 2003 by the exempting senior citizens from the 12% VAT on medicines.

He said he filed the bill in response to appeals from various senior citizens' groups he has met around the country to promote the Cheaper Medicines Law and encourage local government units to directly import cheaper but quality medicines using the law.

"It bears stressing that most of our senior citizens have no steady source of income after retirement, thus the 20% senior citizen's discount and exemption from the 12% EVAT would be of big help to them," he said.

He noted that while the 20% discount privilege accorded to senior citizens eased their financial burdens, the imposition of the 12% EVAT on the sale of goods and services diminished its effect.

"Kung gusto talaga nating maging mapagaan ang buhay ng ating mga senior citizens, sagarin na natin, tanggalin na natin ang EVAT sa gamot na binibili nila ngayon (If we really want to alleviate the plight of our senior citizens, then let's give them total relief, let's lift the EVAT on the medicines that they buy)," he added.

SB No. 3061 also allows drug stores that comply with the proposed VAT exemption to claim this as tax credit to be deducted from their tax liability for the same taxable year that the discount is granted.

The proposed bill also imposes a fine for persons who refuse to give senior citizens' VAT exemption to P500,000. Anyone who abuses the privileges and incentives also face a fine of not less than P100,000 to a maximum of P1 million and imprisonment of not less than one year.

Monday, February 16, 2009 | posted in cheaper medicines bill, e-vat, mar roxas, philippines, senior citizens | 0 comments [ More ]

Senator Roxas pushes for tax rebates for workers

With the outlook for the economic crisis remaining dim, Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas today pushed for tax rebates as a stimulus package to help workers cope with the global financial meltdown's effect on the local economy.

"Masama po ang ekonomiya. Ang aking forecast, ngayon talaga mararamdaman yung epekto sa ibang bansa. Hindi natin made-deny na yung ekonomiya natin at maraming trabaho ay konektado sa pangyayari sa ibang bansa. At kung sadsad sila, aba'y apektado tayo. (The economy is in bad shape. My forecast is that other countries will continue to be affected by the global financial crisis this year. We cannot deny that the local economy and many of our job opportunities are linked to what's happening in the world. And if they are in a slump, then we would be, too)," he said.

Roxas, chairman of the Senate trade and commerce committee, said there were several ways the government can implement a rebate, such as reducing the value-added tax (VAT) from the present 12% to 10%, for the next two years. Another way, which Roxas has proposed in Senate Bill No. 2689, would provide a one-time P5,000 tax rebate for the country's 2 million fixed-income earners.

"Para sa akin, magandang stimulus package ay tax rebate. Ibig sabihin, ang buwis, ibabalik sa tao, at tayo na mismo ang gagastos ng ating pera. Imbes na gobyerno ang gagastos, na alam natin ay may napakaraming leakage. (For me, tax rebates is a good stimulus package. We will give back to the people what they paid to the government and they would decide how to spend their money. This, instead of letting the government spend the money, which we all know is prone to much leakage)," he also said.

"Mas mabuti na ibalik ang pera sa taumbayan (It's better to give back to the people their hard-earned money at this time of hardship)," he said.

He said savings from the VAT discount and the P5,000 refund would augment workers' incomes, which they themselves will use for their own priorities, such as paying tuition fees for their children, housing loan payments, medicines and other healthcare purchases, among others.

"Iikot ito sa ating ekonomiya kasi gagamitin ito sa pinaka-basic na bilihin. Hindi ito gagamitin sa iba pang mga bagay na hindi naman nila priority. (This will go back to the local economy because the money will be used for basic needs. It will not be used for non-essential things)," he added.

Roxas explained that the proposed tax rebates would have little impact on government's fiscal deficit. Furthermore, he said that the government has not seriously shown it is a worthy custodian of the people's money, having been involved in numerous cases of corruption and misuse of funds.

"Para sa akin, mas mabuti na imbes na mapupunta ito sa pangungurakot - nakita na natin sa pagbibiyahe ng mga heneral, sa pagbili nitong overpriced at maling fertilizer - mas mabuti na ang nagbabayad ng buwis ay mabigyan ng relief o tulong sa pamamagitan ng pagbalik ng kanilang buwis. (Instead of government spending the money for the foreign travel of generals or the acquisition of overpriced and low-quality fertilizers, the money will be better spent if it is given back to the people)," he stressed.

He urged the government anew to focus on addressing the financial tsunami that is threatening to hit the country.

"Kalimutan na muna itong mga Cha-Cha, kalimutan na muna itong mga pampulitika, pampahaba ng termino, dahilan sa, yung trabaho ay hindi makapag-antay. Nawawalan ng trabaho ang ating mga kababayan, at iyan ang dahilan kung bakit dapat mag-focus tayo sa ekonomiya at hindi sa pulitika. (Forget about Cha-Cha, forget about lifting term limits. People need jobs now. We need to focus on the economy, not politics)," he said.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009 | posted in charter change, e-vat, financial crisis, mar roxas | 0 comments [ More ]

Roxas to gov't: Ensure right pricing of goods

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas said the government must ensure the stability of the prices of goods, after a recent drop in world prices of commodities such as rice, tin and wheat.

“Patuloy ang pagtaas ng presyo ng pagkain at iba pang bilihin dito, sa kabila ng pagbaba ng presyo ng bigas, trigo, tin can at iba pa sa pandaigdigang merkado. Bakit? Dapat ipaliwanag sa tao ang lahat ng ito, at maging transparent pagdating sa mga costing,” said Roxas, the Chairman of the Trade and Commerce.

“There is no reason why rice, sardines, bread, instant noodles and other items would go up in prices, because the cost of inputs for these have gone down. The DTI must ensure that our people are not taken advantage of and that prices remain reasonable and explainable to the public,” he added.

He noted that although the price of regular rice remains higher than the P22/kilogram price last year, it is now P35/kg, P1/kg less than last month.

“World supply of rice has gone up and prices have gone down. We should see a continued decrease in the cost of local rice,” he said.

“I continue to urge the government to carry out a fertilizer support program and a rehabilitation of our irrigation systems, to ensure long-term supply for our country,” he stressed.

He said the DTI must see for itself whether the continued cost of hard flour at P980 from P910 in April could be justified and whether flour millers still had to recover past costs as they claim.

“Mahalagang-mahalagang siguruhin na ang presyo ng arina ay manatiling mababa, dahilan sa ito ay nakakaapekto sa presyo ng pan de sal, instant noodles at iba pang pagkain,” he said.

For sardines, Roxas said the drop in prices of tin in the world market would allow prices of sardines, which use tin-can packaging, to remain stable.

Roxas once more called for the removal of the value-added tax (VAT) on petroleum products. He said the administration must stop influencing the House of Representatives to stonewall the proposed tax legislation.

“Oil products are a crucial factor in the pricing of food, as it is used for both the manufacturing and transportation of this. The best thing the government can do is not to add to the burden of our people through continued imposition of the VAT,” he said.

Thursday, August 28, 2008 | posted in e-vat, mar roxas, oil, pgma, philippines, president, rice crisis | 0 comments [ More ]

Roxas:The people have spoken - Remove VAT on oil

Senator Mar Roxas said today the government must heed calls to remove the value-added tax (VAT) on oil products as prices continue to go up despite the lowering of oil prices in the world market.

Roxas noted that the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) and Pinagkaisang Samahan ng Mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (PISTON) will already be holding a large rally this Thursday to press their demand for the total removal of VAT.

“The people have spoken -- they would rather hold on to their money than have this collected and spent by the government. The VAT on oil only adds to the pain of consumers, because of the abrupt increase in oil prices worldwide,” he said.

“I support moves by the KMU and PISTON to make their voices heard and show that it’s the jeepney driver or regular laborer who is suffering because of the administration’s shunning of our proposal to remove VAT on oil,” he added.

Roxas had just met with members of PISTON a week ago, and spoke to them of the continued need for a removal of the tax.

“Hindi tama ang sinasabi ng gobyerno na nakasalalay ang lahat ng programa ng gobyerno sa ‘Katas ng VAT’ na ito. Maliit na porsyento lang ito, at maaaring makuha ang koleksyon na ito sa ibang pamamaraan na hindi maaapekto ang mga mahihirap,” he said.

He said Congress must already discuss the proposal, despite Malacañang’s refusal to listen.

“Let’s begin discussions on this already. I have heard alternative proposals from our congressmen to set a cap on oil VAT, or to remove the VAT on both oil and electricity. The important thing is to start discussing the matter, and not just rejecting the proposal outright,” he said.

Roxas had filed Senate Bill No. 1962 last December, before world oil had breached the $100/barrel barrier. Although oil prices have eased in the past month, the present $116/barrel level is still much higher than the $80/barrel level a year ago, and the $30/barrel level when the VAT on oil was first proposed in 2004.

“I urge the administration to allow their allies in the House to take up hearings on the matter, so that the House can pass its own version of the bill. We in the Senate have already discussed my bill in committee, and are just waiting for the House’s version, as required by the Constitution,” he said.

“Sobra-sobra na ang sakit sa bulsa ng ating mga mamamayan. Sa panahon ngayon, ang gobyerno ang dapat mag-sakripisyo at sikaping makamit ang mga collection targets, na hindi magbibigay ng dagdag na pahirap sa mga tao,” he added.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008 | posted in e-vat, kmu, mar roxas, oil, pgma, philippines, piston, president | 0 comments [ More ]

Roxas to Gov't: Stop rise in pan de sal cost

Senator Mar Roxas asked the government today to immediately do something to stop an impending hike of pan de sal and bread prices, as he reiterated his call for the immediate suspension of the VAT on oil to lower the cost of bread making.

“The DTI must find all means to ease the cost of producing pan de sal, bread and pastries. I’m worried this will impact heavily on thousands of small and medium businesses and their employees,” he said.

Bakers have cited high cost of fuel and transportation costs as one of the main reasons why they are pressed to hike bread prices.

“Removing the VAT on oil will have a two-fold effect -- lessen costs of production and put more money in the pockets of their customers,” Roxas stressed.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade and Industry pointed out that fuel is a socially sensitive product and any price hike affects many aspects of the economy, from production down to consumption.

“Ngayon, pati ang presyo ng pan de sal ay tataas na dahil sa hindi mapigil na pagtaas ng presyo ng langis. Kung makikinig ang pamahalaan na suspindihin muna ang VAT ng anim na buwan, sana ay hindi natin mararanasan ito.”

“Patuloy na sinisipsip ng mataas na presyo ng krudo at mga bilihin ang sigla ng ekonomiya at kita ng taumbayan. Kaya imbes na ibsan ng gobyerno ang paghihirap ng taumbayan ay lalo lang nadadagdagan ang paghihirap ng mamamayan sa pagpipilit nito na huwag tanggalin ang VAT sa langis,” he said.

Roxas, Liberal Party President, wants the government to focus on ensuring enough food at affordable prices for the people, particularly by securing rice self-sufficiency much earlier than the government’s 2013 target.

On the other hand, since wheat, the primary component for making bread, is imported and therefore more susceptible to external price shocks, the government must make sure that local bread prices are not excessive and that other cost components are also minimized, he said.

“Our local bread makers need the government to ensure that flour millers are not raising prices unduly, and to utilize other means to reduce the costs of making bread,” he said.

Hard flour now costs P980 per bag, up by P70 from P910 just last April. The price has gone up by over 50% from P640 a year ago. A piece of pan de sal now costs as much as P3.50, and another increase by as much as P1 is expected. For a 600-gram loaf of bread, which now costs P50-P55, an increase of P1.50 is expected.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008 | posted in e-vat, mar roxas, oil, pan de sal, pgma, philippines, president | 0 comments [ More ]

Join Senator Mar Roxas' "Virtual Rally"

Yes, Senator Mar Roxas is starting a rally, but not on the streets!

He has just launched a site called "Virtual Rally" in his way of inviting the public - students, parents, private and public sector employees, and fellow Netizens - to look at issues, pick a side, and make a stand. I already joined the virtual rally on protesting high fuel prices and government's refusal to suspend the 12% VAT on oil despite the added pain it inflicts on people's pockets. It's now time to make ZERO VAT on oil!

Sign up. Pick a character. Share your views. Go to www.virtualrally.net and be counted.

Monday, August 4, 2008 | posted in blog, e-vat, mar roxas, oil, pgma, philippines, president | 2 comments [ More ]

Senator Mar Roxas' statement on the SONA

"Naiinis ako na inaksaya ng Pangulo ang pagkakataong ito. I'm very disappointed and a bit confused. The President wanted to project herself as a caring leader but clearly what she deeply cares about the most is keeping the oil VAT.

"Wala pa ring malinaw na plano kung papaano tayo makakatawid sa panahon ng krisis. Obviously, patuloy pa rin ang mantra ng Palasyo: ‘squeeze the people then spend the VAT.' Walang debate, walang konsultasyon.

"Oras na para malaman ng taumbayan ang totoo tungkol sa hinaharap ng bansa."

Thursday, July 31, 2008 | posted in e-vat, mar roxas, oil, pgma, philippines, president, sona | 0 comments [ More ]

Roxas: Gov't should sacrifice, not the people

Contrary to what was presented during the SONA last Monday, Senator Mar Roxas said the value-added tax (VAT) on oil is not the “be-all and end-all” in solving widespread poverty and hunger.

“Removing the VAT on oil will not spell the end of government social programs. Hindi SONA ang nangyari kahapon kundi isandaang dahilan kung bakit dapat ipagpatuloy ang VAT sa langis (What happened yesterday was not a SONA but a hundred reasons why VAT on oil should continue),” he said.

“Bakit naman na ang sentro ng buong programa ng Pangulo at ng gobyerno ay itong VAT sa langis, na decimal point lang sa buong budget ng gobyerno? (Why was VAT on oil the center of the President’s and the government’s whole program, while it’s only a decimal point of the whole budget?)” he added.

The Liberal Party President said the country’s leadership should do what is most appropriate to face the crisis its people face everyday. Unfortunately, he said the government is sticking to a solution that worked to solve a previous problem--the fiscal crisis--but is now an added burden to consumers and the transport sector.

“Kung tayo ang namumuno, ang gobyerno ang magsasakripisyo at hindi ang mamamayan. Gobyerno ang magsisikap na ayusin ang koleksyon at alisin ang mga gastusing hindi kailangan, hindi sasakalin lalo ang naghihingalong mamamayan (If we’re in charge, the government would be the one to sacrifice and not the people. The government should be striving to make collections and spending efficiently, and not further choking our people),” he said.

“The government must make a sacrifice by removing VAT on oil, improving collections of taxes and duties, and plugging the leaks in government spending. That’s the ‘tough decision’ that the government has yet to make,” he stressed.

“Now, the situation is different. We should not close our eyes or refuse to listen to other opinions and continue taking a medicine that’s not appropriate anymore,” he added.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade and Industry also stressed that the P80-billion foregone revenue estimate of government if Oil VAT is removed is the result of “wrong arithmetic,” as this does not take into consideration the 45% of Oil VAT that can be recovered by the government from manufacturers after a few months.

“The government could again collect VAT when people consume using the savings when we remove VAT on oil. So instead of continuing to squeeze our people dry so that the government will have money to give away, why don’t we just leave this VAT on oil in the hands or pockets of our people?” he said.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008 | posted in e-vat, food crisis, mar roxas, oil, pgma, philippines, president, sona, transport sector | 0 comments [ More ]

Roxas bats for ZERO VAT on oil as third pillar of relief package

After the passage of the affordable medicines and tax exemptions law, will the approval of the suspension of the value-added tax (VAT) on oil be next?

This is the fervent hope of Senator Mar Roxas, principal author of the recently enacted measures providing for cheaper medicines and tax exemptions for minimum wage earners.

Roxas, chairman of the Senate committee on trade and commerce, noted that the economy is in danger of slowing down because consumption has been reduced due to high prices.

“To keep the economy moving, we must provide immediate relief to consumers. Otherwise we face a triple whammy of runaway inflation, high unemployment and widespread hunger,” he warned.

“Ngayon, higit na kailangan ng mga mamimili ang pera nila. Sila ang higit na nakakaalam sa kanilang mga pangangailangan, kaya mas mainam na maiwan sa bulsa nila ang perang ito kaysa mapunta pa sa mga leakages sa gobyerno,” he said.

The senator authored Senate Bill No. 1962 which seeks to suspend the 12% VAT on oil to give consumers a much-deserved respite from soaring prices.

Roxas also authored the recently enacted Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act of 2008 and the Tax Exemption for Minimum Wage Earners Law which was signed by President Arroyo this morning.

The Liberal Party president said he is hoping that his bill calling for the suspension of the 12% VAT on oil would be the third law to be included in the package of relief measures legislated at this time of crisis.

“They say that good things come in threes. Unfortunately, the administration has limited its options to subsidies for certain sectors. It continues to ignore the fact that a temporary removal of the VAT on oil will be felt directly by each consumer with no cash out from the government,” Roxas added.

The newly-signed Republic Act No. 9504 will provide minimum wage earners in the private sector, as well as government workers with the equivalent of a minimum wage salary, with an additional take-home pay of P34 per day, or P750 per month, by exempting them from income taxes. It also increases the personal exemptions of all individual taxpayers.

Republic Act No. 9502, the Universally Accessible, Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act, was signed last June 6. The law seeks to increase competition in the local pharmaceutical market. It allows the importation of more affordable medicines from abroad, and also supports the development of local generics firms. The law also gives the government the powers to regulate prices when necessary, and strengthens the Bureau of Food and Drugs.

Roxas’ SB 1962, filed last December, would suspend the VAT on oil for six months, after which the executive would be allowed to restore the VAT in full or on a staggered basis.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008 | posted in cheaper medicines bill, e-vat, income tax break, mar roxas, minimum wage, oil, pgma, philippines, president | 0 comments [ More ]

Roxas: Who is "Noah"?

The planned three-year P316-billion "Noah's Ark" subsidy program can only work if the subsidies reach the pockets of the poorest of the poor rather than the leather wallets of corrupt officials, Senator Mar Roxas said.

"If they insist on this three-year subsidy plan, then they must prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that these subsidies will go to the poor. They must show us built-in anti-corruption safeguards, credible delivery mechanisms, and a comprehensive list of all target beneficiaries before we even seriously consider having this Ark discussed in the Senate," he stressed.

"Sa Noah's Ark, naroon si Noah para magdesisyon kung sino ang dapat sumakay sa barko at sino ang maiiwan sa lupa. Dito sa ‘Noah's Ark' na pinaplano ng pamahalaan sino ang gaganap na Noah? (In the biblical story, Noah was there to decide on who should ride his Ark. In the government's planned ‘Noah's Ark' program, who will act as Noah?)" he said.

The Chairman of the Senate Trade Committee said without a credible ‘Noah' figure to lead this program, the subsidies will just be parceled out to different agencies and departments without transparency, accountability and effective monitoring.

"Sino si Noah na siyang magsasabing time-out sa politika at korapsyon dahil ang pondo na ito ay para sa mahihirap? Baka mas marami pang butas ang Arkong ito kesa sa bilang ng mga natulungan," he added.

Roxas has repeatedly said the better subsidy package at this time of crisis is to suspend the value-added tax (VAT) on petroleum products, so the savings would redound directly to consumers, who are in the best position to know where to spend these. However, the government has repeatedly refused this proposal.

"Hindi ito ‘Noah's Ark' pero ito ay matibay na salbabida para sa lahat ng consumers. Pati ang mga nasa transport sector ay makikinabang dahil liliit ang kanilang ibinabayad sa diesel at gasolina. Bakit hindi ito ang unahin natin? Matagal na itong nasa Lower House pero hindi umuusad dahil ayaw ng administrasyon na mabawasan ang kanilang kikitain mula sa EVAT (This is not like ‘Noah's Ark' but this is a strong lifevest for all consumers. Even those in the transport sector stand to benefit because what they pay for diesel and gasoline would be reduced. Why not prioritize this? This has been pending in the Lower House, and has not moved since because the administration does not want its revenues from EVAT reduced)," he said.

Monday, June 16, 2008 | posted in e-vat, mar roxas, noah's ark subsidy program, oil, pgma, philippines, president | 0 comments [ More ]

Roxas: “Finally, Government’s feet on the ground”

Senator Mar Roxas said it is high time to suspend the value-added tax (VAT) on oil products, now that the government has already “accepted the reality” that it would not meet its “theoretical” target to balance the budget.

“Finally, nakaapak na sila sa lupa (their feet are now on the ground)! Because their theory that the budget can be balanced this year, nawala na iyan matagal na eh (has been abandoned for some time already),” an exasperated Roxas said during the Kapihan sa Senado held on Thursday.

“When oil was at $90 per barrel at the beginning of the year, nawala na iyan eh (the assumption’s invalid already). The economic growth for 2008 would necessarily be affected,” he explained. He said oil prices now are four times more expensive than when the expanded VAT was still being deliberated.

He also pointed out that the President has supposedly allotted P40 billion for the Agriculture “FIELDS” program, aside from continuing with rice subsidies through NFA, the budgets for which are not in the original budget.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade and Commerce pointed out that when the proposal to impose a 12% VAT on oil was still being deliberated, Dubai crude was still around $34 per barrel. Now, the price of Dubai crude has reached $120 per barrel. This means if the government earlier expected to collect around $4 of VAT per barrel of crude, it now collects around $14 per barrel, or excess revenue of around $10 per barrel.

“Ang laki-laki na ng nakokolekta ng gobyerno, higit doon sa original na inaasahan nila mula rito. Bakit pa nila ipinagdadamot ito (Government’s collecting so much more than what it originally expected. So why are they refusing to return it to consumers)?” he said.

The Liberal Party President stressed that if the government really wants to help consumers and protect the “real economy” at this time of crisis, it must immediately support moves to suspend or remove VAT on oil.

“Maaari na ayaw nila ito sa simula. Noong nasa $90 per barrel ang langis, tinanggihan nila ito. Ngayon na nasa $130 per barrel na ang langis, mukhang nagkakaroon ito ng buhay sa Kamara. Kahit ano pa man ang gusto ng Malacañang, itong demokrasya dito, batay ito sa kagustuhan ng ating mga kababayan. Nilagay natin sila diyan, dapat hindi nila ipagdamot itong pera kasi hindi nila pera ito. Pera ng sambayanan ito,” he said.

Saturday, May 31, 2008 | posted in da, e-vat, food crisis, mar roxas, nfa, oil, pgma, philippines, president, rice crisis, united arab emirates | 2 comments [ More ]

Roxas: Slower growth, high prices call for ZERO VAT on oil

Senator Mar Roxas said the government should now support moves for zero value-added tax (VAT) on oil, now that the government has admitted it would not anymore meet its balanced budget target this year due to slower growth.

"When oil was at $90 per barrel at the beginning of the year, that target of a balanced budget this year has become impossible. The economic growth for 2008 would necessarily be affected," he said.

"But more than the fiscal targets, the government should look more closely at how our consumers are facing a perfect storm of food and oil price hikes," he said.

He said oil prices now are four times more expensive than when the expanded VAT was still being deliberated. This is one of the reasons cited as to why growth, especially consumer spending, slowed down in the first quarter.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade and Commerce pointed out that when the proposal to impose a 12% VAT on oil was still being deliberated, Dubai crude was still around $34 per barrel. Now, the price of Dubai crude has reached $120 per barrel. This means if the government earlier expected to collect around $4 of VAT per barrel of crude, it now collects around $14 per barrel, or excess revenue of around $10 per barrel.

"Ang laki-laki na ng makokolekta ng gobyerno mula sa VAT sa langis, higit doon sa inaasahan nila noon mula rito. Bakit pa nila ipinagdadamot ito (Government's expected to collect so much more than what it originally expected. So why are they refusing to return it to our consumers)?" he said.

"Even at the best of times, even when the administration was crowing about 7.3% growth, the revenue agencies were not attaining their targets. So to begin with, strong economy or weak economy, the revenue agencies were not attaining their projections," he explained.

The Liberal Party President stressed if the government really wants to help consumers and protect the "real economy" at this time of crisis, it must immediately support moves to suspend or remove VAT on oil.

"Maaari na ayaw nila ito sa simula. Noong nasa $90 per barrel ang langis, tinanggihan nila ito. Ngayon na nasa $130 per barrel na ang langis, mukhang nagkakaroon ito ng buhay sa Kamara," he said.

"Hindi nila dapat ipagdamot itong pera kasi hindi nila pera ito. Pera ng sambayanan ito," he said.

Friday, May 30, 2008 | posted in e-vat, food crisis, mar roxas, oil, pgma, philippines, president, rice crisis, united arab emirates | 0 comments [ More ]

Large savings for workers with Tax Exemption Bill’s passage, Sen. Roxas says

Senator Mar Roxas said people have plenty of savings to look forward to, with the impending passage of Congress’ bill to exempt minimum wage earners from income taxes.

“Magandang balita ang natanggap natin sa sinang-ayunan na ng House yung Senate version para sa exemption ng mga minimum wage earners, at additional exemptions para sa iba pang salaried workers,” Roxas said during the ‘Kapihan sa Senado’ press conference on Thursday.

The Senator, who is principal author of the tax measure, pointed out the specific savings for people: “Para sa isang minimum wage earner sa Metro Manila na kumikita ng P7,900 per month for 22 days of work, ang dagdag nito sa kanyang take-home pay is about P750, or P34 a day. Ang katumbas nito ay isang kilong bigas bawat araw na madadagdagan sa kanilang kinikita.”

In addition to this, Roxas, the Liberal Party President, noted that all holiday, night differential, hazard and overtime pay were also exempted from income taxes.

“Kaya’t bagamat ang panawagan ng labor sector ay pataasin ang sahod sa pamamagitan nitong panukalang isinulong natin, madadagdagan pa ang take-homepay ng ating mga manggagawa at ng ating mga salaried workers,” he said.

The bill also increases personal exemptions, so that additional savings for an employee earning P455 a day or P10,010 per month would be P472.59 a month or P5,671.02 a year if he or she is single, and P451.09 a month or P5,413.06 a year if he or she is married with four children.

For an employee earning P683 a day or P15,026 a month, additional savings would be P545.26 a month or P6,543.10 a year if he or she is single, and P1,190.52 or P14,286.20 a year if he or she is married with four children.

“These additional savings are on top of the personal exemptions already being given to our workers,” Roxas noted.

“Sa hirap ng buhay ngayon, malaking tulong ang lahat ng ginhawa na mabibigay ng gobyerno, kagaya nitong minimum wage exemption, at kahit yung pagtanggal ng VAT sa produktong petrolyo,” he added.

| posted in e-vat, food crisis, mar roxas, minimum wage, oil, pgma, philippines, president | 2 comments [ More ]

Roxas: Immediate relief, not tokenisms, needed

Senator Mar Roxas said the people do not need mere "tokenisms" but real and immediate relief in coping with the continued high prices of petroleum products.

He cited the Department of Energy's announcement to remove the tariff on imported crude oil and refined products – that would supposedly lower pump prices by P0.50 – effective June 1, which the Senator said would not be felt by the public especially with the continued rise in world oil prices.

"How will our drivers and consumers feel that their government is looking out for them, when all they are given is false hope and not immediate relief?" said Roxas, the Chairman of the Committee on Trade and Commerce.

"Our people feel they are being run over by these skyrocketing prices of food, oil and other goods. But instead of rushing them to the hospital, the government treats the problem with band-aid," he said, referring to the tariff reduction.

The Liberal Party President said that if the executive was serious in helping the jeepney and tricycle drivers, the fisherman, or even just the general consumer, the immediate action of suspending the value-added tax (VAT) on oil products must be considered.

"With the rising prices of basic goods like food, oil and electricity, plus the higher costs of transport, a zero tariff on oil is not all that our people need, but also zero VAT," he said.

Roxas stressed that the government should not fear revenue losses as a result of removing the VAT on oil, because the VAT will eventually be collected on other products.

"The government should not be so stingy when it comes to removing the VAT on oil. This is not their money, this is the people's money," he said.

"So far, the executive has not understood that when the VAT on petroleum products is removed, this won't be a complete loss for the government. Why? Because Juan de la Cruz is going to spend his extra savings on other items, which the VAT can be collected from. For example, with one 11-kilo tank of LPG, removing VAT would result in a housewife saving P65. That P65 can then be spent on other items in the grocery or department store to buy other needs, which have VAT on them," he explained.

"If the government is going to use the money for things that won't help us anyway, it would be better for each person to do the spending," he added.

Friday, May 23, 2008 | posted in doe, e-vat, food crisis, mar roxas, oil, pgma, philippines, president | 0 comments [ More ]

Roxas: Oil VAT suspension win-win solution for transport, consumers

Senator Mar Roxas described the proposed zero value-added tax (VAT) on oil as a "win-win" solution to the woes of the transport sector and of consumers alike due to the sky-high prices of petroleum products.

"Kung gusto ng gobyerno ng 'win-win' na solusyon, suportahan na nito ang pagtanggal ng VAT sa langis. Agad na makikinabang dito ang parehong tsuper at pasahero, kaya hindi ko alam kung bakit ipinagdaramot pa rin ito (If the government wants a 'win-win' solution, then it must immediately support the removal of VAT on oil. Both jeepney driver and commuter stand to immediately benefit from this)," he said.

"The disposable incomes of our people continue to shrink due to the high cost of food, oil, energy and their other daily needs. If we don't heed this cry for immediate relief, our economy is in danger of slowing down," he stressed.

Roxas said this, as he criticized the government for its incoherent policy in issuing a provisional fare hike order, only to hold it back a few hours afterwards.

"Hindi magandang urong-sulong ang pamahalaan sa panahon ng krisis. Umasa ang ating mga tsuper, kinabahan naman ang ating mga pasahero. Sa huli, hindi nakatulong ang gobyerno (The government should not be indecisive in times of crisis. They made our jeepney drivers expectant and our commuters anxious. In the end, the government was not able to help either)," he added.

"What is a fair solution? It is for government to assume the responsibility of fixing its finances without having to unjustly burden our transport sector and our consumers as a result of this VAT on oil," he said.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade and Commerce noted that the government is already on the right track with its decision to study whether to suspend, reduce or eliminate altogether the 12% VAT on oil and energy.

"That's a big leap from its original stance for an automatic rejection of any proposal to touch the VAT law. Ultimately, they have to heed the clamor of the people for the suspension of the VAT on oil as a way to keep the political and economic environment stable," he said.

"I call on the House to bring the matter to the table and start hearing all positions, especially that of our consumers," he added.

He noted that while the Senate has already started deliberations on bills seeking to suspend or remove VAT on oil and energy, it could not move forward until the House approves its own tax measures.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008 | posted in e-vat, mar roxas, oil, pgma, philippines, president, transport sector | 0 comments [ More ]

Roxas: Self-sufficiency key to solving rice crisis

Senator Mar Roxas, who arrived in Lucena, Quezon this morning, said rice self-sufficiency was the key in dealing with the rice crisis that has hit the country and has brought up prices by as much as P8 in the past two months.

“Kung dito pa lang sa atin, self-sufficient tayo sa ating pangangailangan ng bigas, hindi na tayo maaapektuhan sa kahit anong presyo o supply sa pandaigdigang merkado,” Roxas said.

“Nasa irigasyon, nasa suporta sa magsasaka para makabili ng tamang fertilizer at pesticide ang solusyon, na sa ganoon ang pangkaraniwang ani ay maitaas natin, mula 2.5 na tonelada bawat hektarya sa ngayon, hanggang sa pinakamaganda talaga na anim na tonelada bawat hektarya,” he added.

The senator participated in a dialogue with marketgoers at the Lucena City Public Market in the morning, after which he attended a town hall meeting in the Provincial Capitol upon the invitation of Quezon Gov. Raffy Nantes. Also present were Quezon Vice-Governor Kelly Portes, Quezon 2nd Dist. Rep. Procy Alcala, as well as various mayors, vice-mayors, councilors and barangay captains, and nongovernment organizations (NGOs) for the environment, social services, rural development, health, and women and children protection.

After the consultation, the local leaders led by Gov. Nantes, signed and presented provincial resolutions to the senator declaring their full support for his bills calling for the suspension of the value-added tax (VAT) on oil products and a tax exemption for minimum wagers, as well as the immediate passage of the proposed Quality Affordable Medicines Act.

Roxas, the Liberal Party President, congratulated Gov. Nantes, a fellow Liberal, for his responsiveness in dealing with the situation. “Maganda talaga ang ekonomiya rito sa Quezon. May balanced spending, at focused spending – hindi patingi-tingi ang pagpondo sa mga importanteng programa at proyekto. Maraming pera sa bulsa ng mga mamamayan dahil sa masasaganang ani,” he said.

Roxas said the national government should follow Quezon’s example, for self-sufficiency and productivity to occur on a wider scale. “Una sa lahat, kailangang harapin ng gobyerno ang problema. Ano ba ang problema? Ang kakulangan ng supply ng bigas dito sa atin. Dapat nang kumilos at mag-focus ang paggastos para hindi na tayo aasa sa mga imported na bigas,” he said.

He noted that even though the government has spent billions annually on rice production, this has not been done in the most efficient manner. “Bagamat may badyet para sa National Irrigation Administration, National Food Authority, Department of Agriculture at iba pang ahensya, taon-taon ay nag-aangkat pa rin ng 2 milyon toneladang bigas, dahil kulang talaga ang produksyon dito,” he said.

“Mas mabuti na ang ating mga magsasaka ang maikikinabang sa pagbili ng bigas, kaysa sa ibigay ang pera na ito sa mga magsasaka at exporter ng Thailand at Vietnam,” he added.

Thursday, April 24, 2008 | posted in arthur yap, cheaper medicines bill, e-vat, kelly portes, lucena city, luzon, mar roxas, oil, pgma, philippines, president, procy alcala, quezon, raffy nantes, rice crisis, thailand, vietnam | 0 comments [ More ]

Roxas to hold dialogues on rice situation in Quezon

Senator Mar Roxas will be at Lucena, Quezon on Thursday, April 24, to get updates and to determine the "best practices" in handling the rice situation, in order to ensure the continued availability of rice at affordable levels both in the province and nationwide.

"I want to discuss with local officials, including my fellow Liberal, Gov. Raffy Nantes, how they have managed to remain responsive to the rice situation even as the rest of the nation is struggling to do so. Quezon's best practices will help us national leaders provide for the needs of other local governments," Roxas, the Liberal Party President, said.

"Every province would have its own specific and unique concerns even on issues of a national scope, such as the impending food crisis. With the help of all, we will be able to ensure food security for the long-term. I also want to hear what their constituents' concerns are in terms of the production and distribution of rice and other commodities," he added.

Gov. Nantes invited Roxas as a special guest in a public consultation on Thursday morning with local leaders and stakeholders on national issues such as the continued rise in the prices of rice and oil to record levels. The forum will be held at the Bulwagang Kalilayan at the Provincial Capitol Compound in Lucena City.

Another issue to be dealt with is the Quality Affordable Medicines bill, which is nearing passage at Congress. The committee composed of members of the House of Representatives and the Senate, are set to meet tomorrow to finalize the bill, which Roxas said is already "99% complete."

"Once this bill to lower the prices of medicines is passed, the real work begins. I urge the national government to coordinate closely with local governments to bring the benefits of the measure to all," he said, adding that he would initiate the holding of conferences across the nation on the merits of the proposed law and how to best implement its provisions.

Roxas will also attend the graduation ceremonies of Southern Luzon State University as guest of honor, on Thursday noon at the Quezon Convention Center, also in Lucena.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008 | posted in cheaper medicines bill, e-vat, food crisis, oil, pgma, philippines, president, quezon, rice crisis | 0 comments [ More ]

Roxas: Gov't stonewall on oil VAT suspension "unjust, oppressive"

With crude oil prices continuing to break records, Senator Mar Roxas renewed his call for the suspension of the value-added tax (VAT) on oil and petroleum products to curb domestic price shocks that have begun to hurt consumers.

"Oras na para i-suspinde ang VAT sa langis, para bigyan ng ginhawa ang mga mamimili sa panahong pataas nang pataas ang presyo ng bilihin (it's time to suspend the VAT on oil to give consumers relief at a time when prices of goods continue to increase)," he said.

"For the government to continue charging a 12% VAT on oil at this time is simply unjust. For the government to continue making the people shoulder what should otherwise be collected from big-time tax evaders and smugglers is simply oppressive," he stressed.

The chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade and Commerce said the world price of crude oil has already broken the $115-a-barrel mark due to increased demand from newly-industrialized countries and diminished production from oil exporters. Furthermore, local pump prices of diesel, gasoline and kerosene have increased seven times already since the start of the year.

"Still, the administration continues to stonewall on this issue, and other similar proposals to remove, suspend or lower VAT on other commodities. It would rather keep its revenues than ensure relief for consumers," he said.

"It only takes political will on the part of the administration to move its allies in the House to pass the proposed suspension of VAT on oil. After all, the people need their money in their pockets more today than the government needs its windfalls," he stressed.

"Any further delay or dilly-dallying from the administration to suspend the VAT on oil will be hard to justify," he stressed.

As per DOE data, the prevailing price of diesel is now at P40.44/L; gasoline at P47.46/L; kerosene at P43.02/L; and LPG at P566.14 per 11-kg tank. The temporary removal of the 12% VAT on oil would result in savings of P4.33 per liter of diesel, P5.09 per liter of gasoline, P4.61 per liter of kerosene and almost P61 per 11-kilogram tank of LPG.

Roxas filed Senate Bill 1962 seeking to suspend the VAT for a period of six months, and a similar bill was filed by Liberal Party stalwart Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya in the House. The Senate Ways and Means committee has already held hearings on the Roxas bill but could not undertake any further action because according to the Constitution, all tax measures must emanate from the House.

| posted in doe, e-vat, mar roxas, oil, pgma, philippines, president | 0 comments [ More ]

Roxas: Gov't stoking public emotions by "knee-jerk" moves on rice crisis

Senator Mar Roxas criticized the government for its knee-jerk reactions to the rice crisis that have set off adverse effects on the rest of the food chain and that are stoking the emotions of the people.

“It is clear that the government doesn’t know what it is doing. Until now, the administration has not acknowledged that we do have a rice crisis which affects Filipino families across the nation,” he said, adding that the prices of oil, rice and other food commodities are all inter-connected.

Philippine bakers have recently announced they will hike pan de sal prices by P0.50 centavos each. This, as the price of wheat—which is not being produced locally—has increased steeply in the world market.

“Hindi lang presyo ng pandesal ang tataas kung hindi pati ang palaman sa pandesal dahil sa kabuuan, ang presyo ng pagkain at langis sa daigdigang merkado ay pataas din ng pataas,” Roxas explained.

“In normal times, the workingman’s breakfast is a choice between pan de sal or a bowl of lugaw in a nearby market. But now he is caught in a rut, because both items have become more expensive,” he said.

Roxas added that prices of processed and canned meats would also go up due to several factors, such as tighter quantitative restrictions on imported meat, increasing prices of locally-produced meat and of tin cans as well as higher transport costs due to soaring oil prices. Prices of meat are also affected by the decreasing supply and increasing costs of feeds, such as wheat and corn.

“At the same time, the government is inviting public indignation by randomly announcing raw ideas without prior consultations with the sectors who are concerned and affected,” he said.

“President Arroyo has to take charge, be open to the people and gather the whole national team together to bear upon this multi-faced challenge,” he said.

The senator lamented the administration’s preoccupation with deceptive visuals – only a few lining up for cheap rice, stacks of rice in NFA warehouses, repacking of rice into smaller bags, the use of indelible ink, and soldiers as distributors of rice stocks—that only aggravate public anxieties instead of allaying them.

“Magpakatotoo tayo. Due to the high commercial prices of rice, the NFA’s limited supply of cheaper varieties of rice will never be enough to feed our hungry population,” Roxas said.

The president of the Liberal Party said the government can heed the people’s call for immediate relief by suspending the 12% VAT on oil and petroleum products.

Saturday, April 12, 2008 | posted in e-vat, food crisis, mar roxas, nfa, oil, pgma, philippines, president | 0 comments [ More ]

Roxas on rice & oil situation: "We are looking at a perfect storm"

Senator Mar Roxas warned that the country may be in for a “perfect storm” without a concrete survival plan, as he expressed concern over rising oil and rice prices, a recession in the United States, a global food shortage and its effects on the people’s purchasing power.

Roxas, the Liberal Party President, noted that aside from the looming food crisis, Filipinos are also confronted with high oil prices aggravated by a possible slowdown in dollar remittances from Filipinos in the United States.

“No one among us would like to see such ominous clouds forming, but the reality is that we are in for rough times and we must face these threats truthfully and courageously as a nation,” the Chairman of the Senate Trade and Commerce Committee said.

“The US is faced with two quarters of negative growth which would have a direct impact on dollar remittances from that country. This in turn could reduce consumption in the Philippines which is one of the key drivers of our economy. We have before us a perfect storm of high oil prices, a rice crisis, and a slowdown in dollars and investments from the US,” Roxas pointed out.

The Senator said that instead of pointing fingers at each other, the President can convene the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) so that remedial measures can be agreed on by both the executive and legislative branches of government.

“Bakit di natin pag-usapan ang mga panukala sa House at Senado ukol sa pansamantalang pagtanggal ng 12% EVAT sa mga produktong petrolyo,” he said, but noted that while oil prices worldwide were due to external circumstances, this was not the case for rice.

Roxas said the government must not lay the blame on external factors in dealing with the high prices and more expensive imports for rice, since this problem, and its solution, could be found within the country.

“Ang ugat ng problema ay nandito sa atin, hindi sa labas. Tayo po ay nagtatanim ng ating sariling palay. Ang lupain natin ang siyang ginagamit sa pagsasaka nitong palay,” Roxas, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade and Commerce, stressed.

“Kung kulang ang supply, kailangan na ang Department of Agriculture, National Food Authority, National Irrigation Administration at iba pang ahensiya ng gobyerno, ay magbigay ng lunas o solusyon sa kakulangang ito,” he said.

“Kung sinasabi nila na ang problema ay nasa labas, inaamin na ba ng gobyerno na hindi na natin kayang tugunan ang ating pangangailangan sa bigas? Inaamin na ba ng gobyerno na ang policy nila ay gawing mas mahal ang bigas?” he said.

“Ini-import natin ng 100% ang langis, kase wala talaga tayong langis dito. Pero ang bigas, ang palay, ay dito mismo tinatanim. Ngunit palaki ng palaki ang ating ini-import. Sa laki ng ginagastos natin sa agriculture, sa irrigation at sa iba pa, bakit pababa ng pababa ang ating self-sufficiency sa kanin?” Roxas said.

Roxas has already urged the following: to release local government units’ (LGU) calamity funds to be used for assisting farmers in planting and harvesting rice crops to increase domestic supply; to direct LGUs to establish a food security early warning system; to reactivate the peace process in conflict areas so as to ensure unimpeded cultivation, planting, tending and harvesting of crops; and to create special investigative and prosecutorial teams to go after rice hoarders and those diverting NFA rice for commercial purposes.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008 | posted in e-vat, mar roxas, oil, pgma, philippines, president, rice crisis | 1 comments [ More ]