Robredo hopes for review of implementation of safety nets in TRAIN Law

MANILA, Philippines— Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday said she is still calling on the government to implement assistance packages in the Tax Reform For Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law to benefit the poor.

"We are calling for a review of the safety nets in the TRAIN Law, a review of whether P200 a month is enough. And to make sure that the 10 million who should have received assistance, have already gotten it," she said in Filipino on her weekly radio show on RMN-DZXL.

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“The year is almost over. This should have given starting in January. We are also hoping that the Pantawid Pasada could be expanded to include fisherfolk because they have fuel expenses too, that's why fish prices have increased," Robredo said, referring to a P5,000 fuel subsidy for holders of public utility vehicle franchises.

Robredo made the remark amid the increase of price of commodities.

The vice president acknowledged that fuel price rollbacks would help keep prices down. "That has a multiplier effect, rollbacks on the prices of other products will follow."

In the past four weeks, oil firms cut gasoline prices by at least P5.55 per liter and diesel prices by at least P3.10 per liter. The price adjustment came after the downward trend in the world oil prices

She said, though, that that might not be enough since the poorest of Filipinos feel inflation the most.

The Philippine Statistics Authority said in October that inflation for the poorest 30 percent households accelerated to 8 percent in August, marking the eighth consecutive month consumer prices rose this year.

PSA data showed that the poor are the most vulnerable to accelerating inflation, which government officials are struggling to temper this year.

READ: Inflation hits poor Filipinos hardest, report shows

Guidelines for qualified beneficiaries

In August, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III, and Social Welfare and Development Acting Secretary Virginia Orogo issued Joint Memorandum Circular 2018-01.

READ: Gov’t ready to roll out TRAIN safety net benefits

The memorandum prescribed the “general guidelines on the identification of qualified beneficiaries and the implementation arrangements of social welfare and benefits program stipulated under Republic Act 10963.”

The social welfare and benefit programs included the unconditional cash transfers, jeepney fuel vouchers, National Food Authority rice subsidies, and free skills training for minimum wage earners and the unemployed.

The budget for the programs will be taken from the 30 percent annual incremental revenue the TRAIN law has reserved to compensate for the result of the higher taxes.

Aside from this, Robredo is also calling for an increase in the minimum wage, citing that it would help laborers. She, however, noted the need to consider those who have no permanent jobs.

"Those who don't have steady income are the ones who aren't benefitting from TRAIN Law, so they should also get government assistance," she said. One of the major changes included in the TRAIN Law was the lowering of income taxes.

The law also imposed higher excise taxes on fuel, although government economic managers say this is only one factor in the increase in the prices of petroleum products.  —Rosette Adel

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