House Independent Bloc leader and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Saturday said he looked forward to enactment of a measure exempting persons with disabilities from the payment of 12-percent value added tax (VAT) on certain goods and services after the completion of seven lawmakers who will make up the bicameral conference committee to work on the final version of the measure.
Romualdez, a senatorial aspirant, appealed to the House and Senate leaders to immediately approve the bicameral conference committee report on the measure as Congress is scheduled to adjourn next week for Christmas break.
“The Aquino government and Congress leaders can further show its care and compassion to PWDs by finally approving the bill upholding the rights and promotes the welfare of PWDs in the country,” Romualdez, principal author of the House version that was approved on third and final reading by 201 members of the House of Representatives, said.
“I appeal to the national government to consider my proposal so that we can extend additional genuine assistance to PWDs. This is very important to help their plight,” Romualdez said.
The members of the bicameral conference committee for the House contingent were Marikina City Rep. Miro Quimbo, who chairs the House committee on ways and means; Batangas Rep. Raneo Abu, Baguio City Rep. Nicasio Aliping, and Nueva Ecija Rep. Estrellita Suansing, Kabataan Rep. Terry Ridon, An Waray party-list Rep. Victoria Isabel Noel, and Abakada party-list Rep. Jonathan de la Cruz as bicameral conferees.
Romualdez is the principal author of House Bill 1039 which seeks to amend Section 32 of Republic Act (RA) 7277, otherwise known as the Magna Carta for Persons with Disability, as amended by RA 9442.
Romualdez said his proposal is an equalizing measure because this will accord PWDs exactly the same privilege enjoyed by senior citizens who are exempted from the VAT by virtue of RA 9994.
“This will help give justice to the disadvantaged sector, the PWD,” Romualdez said.
“Persons with disability effectively enjoy only P12 for every P100 worth of good or service because the law does not exempt them from VAT, which is imposed on the net value of the good or service or 10 percent of the P80 after deducting P20, representing the 20 percent discount granted in RA 9442, for every P100 worth of good or service purchased,” Romualdez said.
Romualdez said the proposed VAT exemption shall ap ply on the following: medical and dental services; purchase of medicines in all drugstores; public railways, skyways and bus fare; admission fees charged by theaters, cinema houses, concert halls, circuses, carnivals and other places of culture, leisure and amusement; and all services in hotels and similar lodging establishments, restaurants, and recreation centers.
Romualdez earlier thanked the Senate for passing the House’s counterpart measure, Senate Bill 2890.