Gabriela Women’s Party
NEWS RELEASE
March 15, 2012
“President Aquino should wake up and listen now to the call of the people to scrap VAT and the Oil Deregulation Law. He should stop peddling the illusion that collections from VAT alleviate the condition of the poor. VAT is a burden. Kung gusto talaga ng gubyerno na tulungan ang mahihirap, ibasura niya ang VAT, at bawasan ang mga tax incentives ng mga dambuhalang korporasyon. Ito ang maaaring pagkunan ng pamahalaan ng pondong mawawala kung aalisin ang VAT,” said GWP Rep. Emmi De Jesus as she joined women and other sectors in today’s people’s protest against oil overpricing.
The Gabriela solon enumerated RA 7369 (An Act Granting Tax Duty Exemption and Tax Credit on Capital Equipment), RA 7916 of 1995 (Preferential Tax treatment for Special Economic Zones), RA 7844 of 1994 that gives tax credits for exporters, and RA 7227 of 1992, on duty free importation in former US bases. She also noted the IBON Foundation statement that the government is losing up to Php200B because of tariff reductions.
“VAT and Oil Deregulation Law are licenses for the oil cartel to increase oil prices with impunity. The Aquino administration, while exerting suspiciously too much effort on the Corona impeachment, is conveniently forgetting that justice must also be served to the Filipino people who are swindled daily by the oil cartel,” added De Jesus.
De Jesus also said that removing VAT on oil will provide the much needed breathing space for the financially burdened Filipino families because it will reduce the price of oil by PhP 6 to 7 per liter. At the same time, however, the government must also implement the more strategic solution of nationalizing the oil industry and creating more decent jobs for the people. That is, if it is truly, a government for the people,” ended De Jesus.
Reference:
Rep. Emmi De Jesus
Rowena Festin
