Tags: toll fee hike

By MARYA SALAMAT Bulatlat.com MANILA – It is bad enough that the Philippine government has been ceding to the private sector the operation of vital public services such as major highways, turning its operation into a business instead of a public service. What is also worrisome even for authors and consultants to the crafting of…

By MARYA SALAMAT
“It’s really ridiculous that the people are already paying for the cost of constructing roads and on top of that paying for taxes on their payments.” – former Rep. Renato Diaz, consultant when VAT law was crafted 17 years ago.

Sidebar: VAT on toll fees, a precedent for all public services under PPPs

By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO Bulatlat.com After typhoon Pedring hit the country hard comes the Aquino government’s imposition of a 12 percent value-added tax on toll fees. The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) is demanding anew that Malacañang drops all its plans to impose the VAT on toll fees, saying that the public is still reeling…

By ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL
Pointing to the public-private partnership in the development of the South Luzon Expressway as the culprit in the planned increase in toll fees, drivers’ group Piston warned that the planned hike plus the imposition of VAT on toll fees would trigger price increases as transport costs would likewise jack up.


Members of Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston), an organization of public transport drivers, trooped in front of the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) office in Mandaluyong City Monday to oppose the decision of Secretary Jose “Ping “ De Jesus to implement the more than 250 percent toll hike at the Southern Luzon Express Way, as well as the increase of MRT and LRT fares and expanded value-added tax (e-vat) in all toll ways.