E-motorcycles isama sa 0% import tariff — labor leader solon

MANILA, Philippines – Isinusulong ni House Deputy Speaker at labor leader Raymond Mendoza ang pagsasama sa electric motorcycles sa bagong lagdang Executive Order No. 12 na nagpapataw ng 0% tariff sa electric vehicles.

Inihirit ni Mendoza, presidente ng Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, ang tax cuts kasabay ng pagpuri kay Presidente Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. sa pag-iisyu ng EO12 na naglalayong mapalakas ang pagiging epektibo ng gov’t laws upang i-decarbonize at mabawasan ang  greenhouse gas emissions sa bansa.

Sinabi ng TUCP stalwart at kinatawan sa Kongreso na ang hakbang ay magpapalakas sa electric vehicle industry “because the newly-signed EO12, aside from its clean-air intent, its tax incentives will make investing easier and help businesses to flourish which will translate to more employment opportunities for Filipinos.”

Sa ilalim ng Executive Order No. 12 ay pansamantalang mababago ang tariff rate para sa importasyon ng electric vehicles. 

Bago ang paglagda sa EO, ang electrically propelled vehicles ay pinapatawan ng import duties na mula 5% hanggang 30%. Sa ilalim ng EO12, ang import duties na ito ay ginawang 0%, na maghihinto rito sa susunod na limang taon.

Gayunman, ipinunto ni Deputy Speaker Mendoza na maaaring nakaligtaan ng EO12 ang two-wheeled electric motorcycles sa pagkakaloob ng tax breaks.

"It appears that under the Presidential issuance, not all types of electric vehicles are granted 0% tax rate. Only kick scooters, self-balancing cycle, pocket motorcycle, as well as bicycles with an auxiliary electric motor not exceeding 250w and with maximum speed not exceeding 25 km/h are included in the tariff cut," pagbibigay-diin ng mambabatas.

Idinagdag niya na, “How about the two-wheeled electric motorcycles? Or those with auxiliary electric motor exceeding 250w and with maximum speed exceeding 25km/h? There is no substantial distinction between the articles currently imposed with 0% tariff and the electric motorcycles which are still subject to 30% import duty. I hope this matter will be revisited.”

Buhat nang magsimula ang Marcos administration, masigasig na isinusulong ng TUCP na maisama ang Sustainable Industrial Policy program nito sa national employment creation strategy. 

Sa ilalim ng programa ay bubuo ng isang industry promotion strategy na nakaangkla sa pagtukoy sa priority sectors at itutugma ang mga ito sa available skills para sa bawat rehiyon, base sa kani-kanilang comparative advantage.

"This tax incentive on electric vehicles is a good springboard for industry promotion and to generate new jobs for our people especially since the growing market demand will encourage businesses to expand. But we can't harness the opportunities if we do not have a fully developed industry, so if we want this tariff reduction to really make an impact in the local industry, we have to utilize everything that will serve the purpose, including all kinds of electric vehicles,” paliwanag ng  TUCP stalwart.

Ang TUCP ang pinakamalaking confederation ng labor federations sa bansa, na binubuo ng 23 labor federations na may 480,000 miyembro.  Bilang pinakamalaking labor group sa bansa, itinutulak ng TUCP  ang mga karagdagang job opportunities para sa milyong- milyong unemployed at underemployed Filipinos.