Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — A lawmaker pushing for lower income tax and Social Security System (SSS) pension increase is optimistic that the Lower House will be passing measures supporting these, despite Malacañan opposing the measures.
Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares said that there is growing support from lawmakers and the public to lower income tax bills and remove the Value-Added Tax (VAT) from electricity bills.
He said that tax adjustments should have been done in 1995.
As for the VAT on electric bills, lawmakers are saying that the Philippines already has one of the highest costs of electricity in Southeast Asia.
Colmenares explained that funds to offset government losses from these bills can be collected through better collection of revenues of the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Bureau of Customs. Colmenares will also file a resolution to probe suspected sugar smuggling in the BOC. He will also look into the alleged attempt of former Land Transportation Office chief Virginia Torres to negotiate the release of at least 64 shipping containers.
Lawmakers are also discussing the Commission on Elections’s (Comelec’s) proposal to conduct mall voting next year — and some are against it.
Parañaque City Rep. Gus Tambunting said that the country is not ready to implement it because the Comelec has to first ensure that mall owners are not favoring a certain politician or a political party.
He added that the Comelec’s promise to hold mall voting in areas that are not owned by a politician or a relative is not enough. Another problem he sees is that transferring voting to malls will be an additional burden to poll watchers, as some are living near precints.
CNN Philippines’ Patricia de Leon contributed to this report.
