United Kingdom - 02 - Roxas wants to push for suspension of 12% E-VAT

Senator Mar Roxas intends to push through with the filing of an initiative calling for the suspension of 12-percent expanded value added tax (EVAT) on petroleum products and withholding tax on ordinary citizens as soon as the Congress resumes session on January 21.

"Back when the VAT was being discussed, world crude oil price was only at about $ 50 per barrel. Today, world crude oil price has reached $ 90 per barrel. Even on that basis alone, government should have been actively consulting different sectors on how to cope with this oil price increases," he explained.

He insisted that only through reducing the taxes can the ordinary people also unload their burden on measly income and skyrocketing prices of basic commodities, as he cited a survey earlier indicating that Filipinos are still placing high hopes for 2008.

"According to a recent SWS survey, nine out of ten Filipinos will enter the New Year with hope in their hearts. We in government must match this spirit of hopefulness with concrete programs to improve our people's quality of life," said Roxas.

He also emphasized the need to strategize such efforts in line to provide the people with security they have been longing for the past few years.

"We need to keep more money in people's wallets by making sure that they are not being taken undue advantage of by profiteers, cartels and misguided policies of their own government," he added.

Roxas also vowed to push through the passage of the proposed Cheaper Medicines Bill, which is set for bicameral conference committee discussion this month.

He said the proposed initiative was designed to help out the poor people and make them afford the high prices of branded medicines in the market.

Roxas is confident that the bicameral conference committee would be able to make amendments and compromise for the passage of the bill in the soonest time possible.

"We in the legislature will make sure that all the tools to bring down the cost of medicines would be included in this proposed law. However, the best intentions can go awry with poor execution. This early, I am raising the idea for an Affordable Medicines Summit to hammer out clear cut strategies, delegating responsibilities, and agreeing on a common timeline to carry out the best provisions of this measure," he said.

Source : Balita.org - Minsterley, England, UK, dated 02/01/2008