The government should solve the pressing problem of high prices of goods and services caused by the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law, instead of focusing on so-called loiterers or “tambays,” according to Senator Bam Aquino.
“The high cost of prices is a bigger problem than the loiterers,” said Aquino, one of four senators who voted against the ratification of the government’s tax reform program.
He called on the government to lay a clear-cut plan on how to address the high prices of goods and services to alleviate the plight of Filipinos, especially the poor.
At the same time, the senator urged the government to stop arresting loiters, most of whom are poor, and focus on the issue that burdens them the most, which is the high prices of goods.
He has submitted a measure seeking to roll back TRAIN’s excise tax on fuel when average inflation rate surpasses the annual inflation target over a three-month period.
In addition, he is also pushing for the full implementation of mitigating measures under the TRAIN Law, such as the unconditional cash transfer program for poor families and the Pantawid Pasada for jeepney operators and drivers.
Senator Aquino also expressed belief that competition will help lower the price and improve the quality of internet service in the country.
“We need more than three telcos to have a healthy competition. We should look at other countries aside from China,” he added.
As chairman of the Committee on Science and Technology, Aquino is currently working on Senate Bill No. 171 or the Open Access in Data Transmission Act of 2016.
If enacted into law, the senator said that this will enable more players into and promote competition in the internet industry.
He has been working to improve the quality of internet in the country. In the 16th Congress, he led an investigation into the slow and expensive internet in the country during his stint as chairman of the Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship.
The probe helped determine needed legislation to address the internet problem in the country and led to the release of a Department of Justice opinion on telco advertising.
The hearing also compelled the National Telecommunications Commission to come out with guidelines on minimum internet speeds and conducted speed testing in various areas of the Philippines to check compliance of telcos.
As chairman of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology, Aquino pushed for the passage of Republic Act 10929 or the Free Internet Access Program in Public Places as principal sponsor.
Meanwhile, a National Food Authority spokesman said on Friday that the agency is looking at an all-out distribution of imported rice from Vietnam to the rest of the country by next week.
NFA spokesperson Rex Estoperez said they have already distributed a total of 28,000 bags to several provinces, including Pampanga and Bulacan, since June 18.
Meanwhile, a total of 5,000 bags had already been docked in the port for the National Capital Region.
“Ang full blast nationwide, ‘pag naibaba lahat ng mga bigas sa barko, ay mga next week,” Estoperez said.
The 5,000 bags were part of the 250,000 metric tons or five million bags from Vietnam and Thailand that were procured under a government-to-government contract to replenish the country’s buffer stock.
But due to bad weather, the bags of rice have been stalled in the ports of Manila and Subic, Zambales.
“Ang pangalawang pag-angkat ay darating sa July and August na binili sa private sector suppliers, hindi sa government following the [Republic Act 9184],” Estoperez said.
He said that the price of NFA rice will remain steady at P27 per kilo for 25 percent broken rice and P32 per kilo for 15 percent broken rice.