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Friday, March 29, 2024

‘Don’t give up on tax-cut bill’

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House Independent Bloc and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Tuesday said Congress leaders should not give up in pushing for the passage of the proposed tax reduction measure  even as he endorsed the immediate approval of the proposed Salary Standardization Law.

Approval of the twin  measures  will serve as congressional  gesture of malasakit  (compassion) for the workers,  said Romualdez, a senatorial candidate of the oppositionist United Nationalist Alliance. 

Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez

Romualdez made the statement after House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and Senate President Franklin Drilon failed to secure the President Benigno Aquino III’s categorical support for the approval of the tax reduction bill.

“They should not give up and just continue convincing the President because this is a genuine ‘malasakit’ (compassion) to our workers,” Romualdez, a lawyer and president of the Philippine Constitution Association.

At a news conference, Belmonte also said that their meeting with the President was ‘not fruitful.’

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Romualdez lauded Drilon and Belmonte for their “malasakit” to workers with their sincere efforts to convince the President to support the proposed reduction of income and corporate income tax rates.

“Their efforts are admirable and laudable. They should continue with this action to put pressure on Malacañang to support the bill’s passage,” Romualdez said.

Belmonte pointed out that he and Drilon “tried their very best” to convince the President during their meeting Monday where the latter only showed openness again when he vowed to study the proposal.

“We made our pitch and vigorous presentation,” Belmonte told reporters. “After that, the President said, ‘okay, we will think about it.’ That’s it. So I am still awaiting what is really the President’s decision,” Belmonte said.

Nevertheless, Romualdez said Congress should also consider passing other pending bills that would benefit ordinary workers like the proposed reduction on personal and corporate income tax rates.   

“We should rally behind all measures that would provide economic relief to our ordinary workers,” Romualdez said.

At a news conference, House Majority Leader and Mandaluyong City Rep. Neptali Gonzales II said the SSL 2015 can be passed on third and final reading by Wednesday   once they receive the certification from the President.

“The House will likely pass the measure at the committee level by   Wednesday.       Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. suggested this bill has to be certified as urgent.    If it is approved (Wednesday) and we receive the certification from the President, by a stroke of luck   tomorrow   afternoon, don’t be surprised that we could put it to vote on second, and third and reading,” Gonzales said.

Gonzales, Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab, chair of the House committee on appropriations, House Minority Leader and San Juan City Rep. Ronaldo Zamora, and Romblon Rep. Eleandro Jesus Madrona, chair of the House committee on accounts, filed House Bill 6268 to push salary increase after Budget Secretary. Florencio Abad Jr. submitted the draft proposal to the House of Representatives last Monday.

Gonzales also said it is necessary to pass the bill since the funding for the salary increase of the government workers is included in the proposed 2016 P3.002-trillion General Appropriations Bill.

“There are 192,000 unfilled positions  and there were no takers because they are low income earners,” Gonzales said. “Even with the full implementation of the SSL,    only 70 percent lang of salaries of workers –equivalent to the amount being received by workers from the private sector — will be the amount to be received by government employees.”

The SSL 2015 will modify the compensation and position classification system of civilian government personnel and the base pay schedule of military and uniformed personnel.

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