Month: November 2018

Sen. Bam to gov’t: Ibasura na ang buwis sa petrolyo!

Sen. Bam Aquino urged the government to support initiatives that aim to stop excise tax on fuel under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law, saying time is running out as lawmakers have just 15 session days remaining for 2018.

“Wala nang panahon. 47 days na lang ay Pasko na at mayrooon na lang labing-limang session days para maisulong ang ating panukala, pati na ang resolusyon ng minorya at sulat ng mayorya ukol sa pag-alis ng excise tax sa petrolyo,” said Sen. Bam.

“Nagkakaisa ang Senado sa hangaring mapababa ang presyo ng petrolyo at bilihin para sa kapakanan ng ating mga kababayan na nahihirapan na sa mataas na presyo ng bilihin,” added Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam filed Senate Bill No. 1798 or the Bawas Presyo sa Petrolyo Bill last May while minority senators filed Joint Resolution No. 15 calling for the suspension and rollback of excise tax on fuel. Majority lawmakers, for their part, wrote President Duterte asking to suspend excise tax on fuel under the TRAIN Law.

Congress will resume session on Monday (Nov 12), and will end its session on Dec. 12 (Wednesday).

“Bigyan natin ng konting ginhawa ang mga mahihirap na nalulunod sa taas presyo,” Sen. Bam emphasized, adding that suspending excise tax on fuel under TRAIN Law is the best Christmas gift that the government can give to the Filipino people.

“Pamasko niyo na po sa mahihirap ang pagtanggal ng TRAIN sa petrolyo. Galaw-galaw na po, magpa-Pasko na,” said Sen. Bam, one of four senators who voted against the ratification of the TRAIN Law.

The only measure in the Senate that seeks to amend the TRAIN Law, Senate Bill No. 1798 aims to add a safeguard to ensure the suspension in the collection of excise tax on fuel once inflation rate surpasses the government’s inflation target for three consecutive months.

According to Sen. Bam, removing the excise tax on fuel would not only bring down prices of fuel, but also prices of fares, food and other goods in the market.

Sen. Bam added that removing the excise tax on petroleum would translate to additional P87 per day income for public utility drivers (PUV), which they can use to purchase two kilos of rice for their family.

Sen. Bam urges Congress to work together on Bawas Presyo Bill as inflation remains high

With inflation unchanged and still beyond the projected target range, Sen. Bam Aquino stressed that government must work together to help Filipinos still suffering from high prices of food and other goods.

“Mataas pa rin ang presyo at umaaray pa din and mga pamilyang Pilipino. Bigyan natin sila ng kahit kaunting ginhawa ngayong Pasko,” said Sen. Bam, one of four senators who voted against the ratification of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law.

“Magtulungan na tayo upang suspindihin at i-rollback ang buwis sa petrolyo. Ipasa na natin sa Kongreso ang Bawas Presyo Bill at ayusin ang TRAIN Law,” added Sen. Bam who filed Senate Bill No. 1798 or the Bawas Presyo sa Petrolyo Bill last May.

Sen. Bam renewed his call to the government to support his measure, which he believes could help lower prices of petroleum products and the prices of goods in the market.

“Pinagtulungan na natin noon ang batas na libreng kolehiyo. Ngayon, itong Bawas Presyo Bill naman sana ang Christmas gift natin sa ating mga kababayan,” urged Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam’s Senate Bill 1798 is the only measure in the Senate that seeks to amend the TRAIN Law. If passed, it will add a safeguard to ensure the suspension in the collection of excise tax on fuel once inflation rate surpasses the government’s inflation target for three consecutive months.

The senator said that reducing the cost of petroleum products would not only affect fare prices but would also have an indirect effect on the prices of food and other goods in the market.

Also, Sen. Bam added that removing the excise tax on petroleum would translate to additional P87 per day income for public utility drivers (PUV), which they can use to purchase two kilos of rice for their family.

Sen. Bam: Pass Bawas Presyo Bill, fix TRAIN Law on top of wage increase

The P25 salary increase for National Capital Region (NCR) cannot stand alone and should be coupled with efforts to lower prices of goods, including the suspension of excise tax on fuel under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law, according to Sen. Bam Aquino. 
 
“Parehong dagdag kita at bawas presyo ang kailangan ng ating mga kababayan. Bigyan natin ng sapat na ginhawa ang mga Pilipinong nalulunod sa pagtaas ng presyo ng pagkain, bigas at iba pang bilihin,” said Sen. Bam, one of four senators who voted against the ratification of the TRAIN Law. 
 
“Gawing prayoridad na sana ng Kongreso ang pagpasa sa Bawas Presyo Bill para maayos naman kahit kaunti ang TRAIN Law at mabawasan ang pasan ng Pilipino,” added Sen. Bam, who is the only senator to file a measure seeking to amend the TRAIN Law. 
 
Sen. Bam filed Senate Bill 1798 or the Bawas Presyo sa Petrolyo Bill in May 2018 to add a safeguard to the TRAIN Law that allows for the suspension in the collection of excise tax on fuel should the inflation rate surpass the country’s predicted target for three consecutive months. 
 
“Kung ipasa ang Bawas Presyo Bill at tanggalin ang excise tax sa petrolyo sa TRAIN Law, hanggang P87 kada araw ang dagdag sa kita ng ating mga jeepney driver,” said Sen. Bam, adding that this would be enough for PUV drivers to buy two kilos of rice per day for their families. 
 
Sen. Bam also said that reducing the cost of petroleum products would not only affect fare prices but would also have an indirect effect on the prices of food and other goods in the market. 
 
“Magandang regalo ngayong Pasko ang tulong sa pagbababa ng presyo ng bilihin. Kaya itutuloy ko sa Senado ang paninindigan para sa Bawas Presyo Bill upang ayusin ang TRAIN Law,” said Sen. Bam, who continues to stand by his no-vote on the TRAIN Law.
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