Bayan urges Congress to stop TRAIN law implementation

MANILA, Philippines — The group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) is urging Congress to tackle bills that seek to repeal or suspend implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law before Congress goes on break. 

Bayan secretary-general Renato Reyes said the increase in the prices of commodities and services caused by the bigger taxes mandated by TRAIN Law has been “unbearable” for the public in the last few weeks.

Moreover, inflation is at a five-year high of 4.5 percent.

Reyes called on lawmakers not to defer the suspension of TRAIN Law until Congress resumes session in July because the people need some immediate relief.

“The people demand some form of immediate economic relief. This is not the Duterte promise of a comfortable life. The people are living a miserable life,” Reyes said in a statement. 

“Senators and congressmen who ignore the hardships of the people will be exposed and remembered. The regime that insists on imposing this burden on the people risk further political isolation,” he added. 

But officials of the Duterte administration have warned that suspending the TRAIN Law would affect key government projects and disrupt revenue targets. 

TRAIN Law is expected to provide the government an additional P89.9 billion in fiscal space during the first year of its implementation, according to estimates from the Department of Finance.