excise tax

Sen. Bam appeals to Malacanang: Suspend excise tax on fuel ahead of latest oil price increase

Sen. Bam Aquino appealed to Malacanang to suspend the excise tax on fuel under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law, ahead of another round of oil price hike this week.
 
“Nakikiusap po tayo kay Pangulong Duterte na isuspinde ang dagdag-buwis sa petrolyo para tulungan ang ating mga kababayan,” said Sen. Bam, one of four senators who voted against the ratification of the TRAIN Law.
 
This week, oil companies are expected to increase prices of gasoline by 95 centavos to P1.05 per liter, diesel by 55 to 65 centavos per liter and kerosene by 80 to 90 centavos per liter.
 
In an effort to lower prices of petroleum products, Sen. Bam filed the Bawas Presyo sa Petrolyo Bill in May 2018, seeking to suspend and roll back the excise tax on fuel under the TRAIN Law once the country’s inflation rate exceeds the government’s target for three straight months.
 
“Wala pong ibang matatakbuhan ang taumbayan maliban sa Malacañan dahil tapos na ang session ang Kongreso,” Sen. Bam insisted, adding that government should listen to the cry of people who are burdened by high prices of food and other goods.
 
“Sana kahit panandalian man lang, sa pamamagitan ng pagsuspinde ng excise tax sa langis, maibsan ang kondisyon ng ating mamamayan sa pakikipaglaban araw-araw sa kahirapan. Konting malasakit lang mula sa gobyerno ang hinihingi natin,” added Sen. Bam.
 
With oil prices in the world market rising, Sen. Bam said the government should act now and immediately suspend the excise tax on fuel under the TRAIN Law to help lower prices of petroleum products.
 
“Ngayong tumataas pa ang presyo ng langis sa world market, hindi maganda na patawan pa ito ng excise tax na dulot ng TRAIN Law dahil sa ating mahihirap na kababayan na naman ang latay nito,” said Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam to gov’t: Act quickly on latest price increases, shelve excise tax on fuel

Sen. Bam Aquino urged the government to quickly address the latest increase in prices of goods due to Typhoon Usman and the projected rise in cost of petroleum products from the expected increase in fuel prices in the world market along with the additional excise tax on fuel under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law.

“Kailangang umaksyon agad ang gobyerno para maibsan itong bagong hataw ng taas-presyo ng bilihin at halaga ng produktong petrolyo sa ating mga kababayan,” said Sen. Bam, one of four senators who voted against the ratification of the TRAIN Law.

“Kawawa ang mahihirap nating kababayan dahil sa dobleng hagupit ng bagyong Usman at dagdag-buwis sa petrolyo. Itigil muna natin ang pagpapatupad ng excise tax sa produktong petrolyo,” added Sen. Bam.

The senator said the government should be sensitive to the plight of consumers and poor Filipinos, who are expected to carry the additional burden of high prices of goods due to the latest levy on oil products under the TRAIN Law.

“Hindi pa bumababa yung presyo ng bilihin, tinira na kaagad iyong pagtaas ng petrolyo. Panibagong pasanin na naman ito para sa ating mga kababayan, lalo na ang mahihirap,” said Sen. Bam, referring to the government’s decision to implement the second tranche of excise tax under the TRAIN Law.

“Hindi dapat pinapatawan ng buwis ang petrolyo dahil hindi natin kontrolado ang presyo nito,” Sen. Bam stressed, adding that the country’s inflation rate remains far from the government’s inflation rate target of 2-4 percent range.

Sen. Bam’s reaction came amid the reported increase in prices of vegetable and other agricultural products after the onslaught of Typhoon Usman and the expected increase in fuel prices with the implementation of the second tranche of excise tax on fuel.

Sen. Bam said the passage of his Bawas Presyo sa Petrolyo Bill will help ease the burden of Filipinos as it suspends and rolls back excise tax on fuel once the country’s inflation rate exceeds the government’s target for three straight months.

Sen. Bam filed the Bawas Presyo sa Petrolyo Bill in May 2018.

Sen. Bam: Ayusin ang TRAIN Law, i-rollback ang tax sa petrolyo

Sen. Bam Aquino welcomed the House of Representatives’ move to tackle measures to shelve the excise tax on petroleum under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law, hoping that the Senate could follow suit and work for its complete removal.
 
“Magandang balita na kumikilos na ang Kamara para maitama ang ilang probisyon sa TRAIN Law na dahilan ng pagtaas ng presyo ng bilihin,” said Sen. Bam.
 
“Kailangan talagang ayusin ang TRAIN Law mahihirap ang nasasagasaan nito,” he pointed out, adding that the 6 percent inflation rate for November remains above the government’s target of 2-4 percent.
 
Sen. Bam hopes that the Senate can start tackling his Bawas Presyo sa Petrolyo Bill and the minority’s Joint Resolution No. 15, which are both seeking to suspend the excise tax under the TRAIN Law and mandate the rollback of levy on fuel to December 31, 2017 rates.
 
“Hopefully, the Senate can follow suit and tackle these crucial measures before the end of the year,” said Sen. Bam, one of four senators who voted against the ratification of the TRAIN Law.
 
Sen. Bam said the passage of these measures is crucial after Malacanang decided to implement the excise tax on fuel in 2019 after initially expressing desire to suspend it.
 
“Mas mahalagang madaliin ang pagsasabatas nito dahil hanggang ngayon, mahal pa rin ang presyo ng pagkain at iba pang bilihin na ikinalulunod na ng marami nating kababayan,” said Sen. Bam.
 
Earlier, Sen. Bam called on the government to reconsider its decision to push through with the collection of excise tax on fuel in 2019.

Sen. Bam calls for immediate rollback, not suspension of excise tax on fuel

Instead of suspension, Sen. Bam Aquino is pushing for an immediate rollback on the excise tax on fuel under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law amid the people’s cry for an end to the rise in prices of goods and services.
 
“Humihingi na ng saklolo ang mga manggagawa at iba pang sektor. Umaksyon na tayo at i-roll back ang excise tax sa petrolyo,” stressed Sen. Bam, referring to labor groups crying out for higher wages.
 
“A suspension in 2019 is too late. Makinig na tayo sa daing ng mamamayan na nalulunod na sa pagtaas ng presyo,” added Sen. Bam, one of four senators who voted against the ratification of the government’s tax reform program.
 
Sen. Bam stressed that the government must admit the problems caused by the tax reform program and find solutions to lower prices of goods and services by rolling back the excise tax.
 
“Hangga’t hindi inaamin ng administrasyon na problema ang TRAIN. Hindi magkakaroon ng solusyon ang pagtaas ng presyo,” said Sen. Bam. 
 
Sen. Bam has filed Senate Bill No. 1798, where he sought for the rollback of TRAIN’s excise tax on fuel when average inflation rate surpasses the annual inflation target over a three-month period.
 
Sen. Bam included this safeguard during the TRAIN deliberations, but the provision was removed from the final draft of the law during the bicameral conference.
 
“Hindi hihigit sa 70 billion pesos ang mawawala sa koleksiyon ng buwis kung i-roll back natin ang excise tax ngayon. Ipagkaloob na sana ng gobyerno iyon para ginhawaan ang mga Pilipino,” said Sen. Bam.
 
Sen. Bam stated in his recent privilege speech in the Senate that the targeted 2018 collections from the excise tax on fuel is 70 billion pesos, while government underspending for 2017 is at 390 billion pesos.
 
“I-roll back natin ang excise tax ngayon para pababain ang presyo ng bilihin at matulungan ang lahat ng sektor sa isang bagsakan,” added Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam strengthens call to suspend TRAIN amid cries for fare increase

A senator stressed the need to suspend the excise tax on fuel under the government’s tax reform program, saying the transport sector is already crying out for support amid the increase in fuel prices.

“Para sa mga driver, operator at pasahero, i-ipreno na ang TRAIN para mapagaan naman ang kanilang sitwasyon,” said Sen. Bam Aquino, referring to the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law.

“Ibalik na ang mekanismo para masuspindi ang excise tax dahil sa inflation upang mabawasan na ang pasanin ng parehong driver, operators at mga commuter,” added Sen. Bam, one of four senators who voted against the ratification of the TRAIN Law.

Sen. Bam made the pronouncement after several jeepney operators filed a petition asking for a P2 fare increase and the possible surge pricing during rush hours due to the recent increase in prices of petroleum products.

Sen. Bam submitted Senate Bill No. 1798, seeking to stop the collection of excise tax on fuel under TRAIN once the inflation rate breaches “target range.”

In Sen. Bam’s measure, the collection of excise tax will be suspended once the average inflation rate surpasses the annual inflation target over a three-month period.

Sen. Bam introduced that specific provision during the TRAIN’s deliberation and was approved by fellow senators. However, the provision was not included in the bicameral conference committee and the approved version of the measure.

“Bigyan naman natin ng kaunting ginhawa ang ating mga kababayan sa pagtaas ng presyo ng petrolyo at iba pang mga bilihin,” said Sen. Bam.

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