Reduce the taxes

Eighteen big business and workers organizations asked President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino to approve the tax reform bill now pending in the House of Representatives and Senate, despite causing the government to lose tax revenues equal to 1.5 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) if approved.

The Department of Finance (DOF) has reconsidered the tax-reform proposals advanced by the legislative leaders.

House ways and means committee chairman Romero Quimbo and Senate ways and means committee chairman Edgardo Angara met with President Aquino to convince him on the merits of their reform proposals. They presented before the President various arguments and reasons for the reform. They also emphasized to President Aquino that the real incomes of regular employees had been eroded since 1997 when the tax code was enacted into law.

The House version of the measure seeks to recast the income tax for compensation-income earners, the self-employed and professionals, as well as corporations through simplification of tax tiers and rates while relating these to inflation. Under the bill, public and private workers earning P180,000 and below will be completely tax-exempt.

Next to Thailand and Vietnam’s 35 percent, the Philippines owns the second-highest personal income-tax rate in the region at 32 percent and the highest value-added tax rate of 12 percent as the country’s individual income tax-rate bracket has remained unchanged since 1997.

Reforming the tax, will help hard working Filipinos meet their needs and obligations.

Pope visits prisoners

In Philadelphia, Pope Francis visited Curran Fromhold Correctional Facility and shook hands and talked to 100 inmates, including suspected killers, rapists and mobsters, offering them words of hope, forgiveness and redemption.

At the United Nations (UN), the Pope pressed for the abolition of the death penalty.

Pope Francis’ best speech was an extemporaneous one before the World Meeting of Families where he batted for the sanctity of marriage and the unity of the family.

Andrea Bocelli, tenor and Aretha Franklin delivered well-applauded songs before the Gathering of Families.

At every stop of his six-day trip to the United States and Cuba, the Pope took time out to talk to his bishops and religious persons.

In Philadelphia, he stayed at a seminary to the delight of the seminarians.

On the final day of his US visit, he also received victims of child sexual abuse by priests and bishops. It was his second such meeting with sexual abuse victims since the first meeting at the Vatican in July 2014. He promised to hold accountable those responsible for the scandal in the church, delivering a powerful warning to American bishops accused of covering up for pedophile priests instead of reporting them to police.

He called for continued vigilance against clergy sexual abuse of youth and superiors’ efforts to conceal grave misdeeds. “God weeps for sexual abuse of children,” said Pope Francis.

An estimated one million people attended his final mass at the Benjamin Franklin Parkway before departing for Rome.

Teroy’s 97th birthday

Mrs. Lorna Perez Laurel and her children celebrated Senator Sotero Laurel’s 97th birthday anniversary with a dinner at the Bayleaf Hotel in Intramuros.

Fellow senators of the 8th Congress attended the affair, among them Mayor Joseph Estrada, Vice President and Mrs. Tito Guingona, Aquilino Nene and Mrs. Pimentel, Wigberto and Mrs. Tañada, Victor Ziga and Mrs. Ziga, Heherson Alvarez and Mrs. Alvarez, Joey Lina and Mrs. Lina, Mayor John Osmeña, Ernesto Boy Herrera, Orlando Mercado, Santanina Rasul, Baby Angara.

Joey Lina, Nene Pimentel and Bing Pimentel rendered songs during the dinner.

Bayleaf Hotel is a 58-room training hotel owned by the Lyceum of the Philippines University.

Political whispers

Toledo City Mayor John Osmeña said that in a 2,000 respondents survey conducted in his city – Senator Grace Poe came in first, Vice President Jejomar Binay second and former Interior Secretary Roxas a far third.

Former Shariff Kabunsuan Congressman Didagen Dilangalen said that Vice President Binay is very strong in Cotabato. He also said Muslims under their culture would not vote for a woman president.

Congressman Wimpy Fuentebella said Binay is the favorite candidate in Camarines Sur.

Tidbits

The senatorial candidacy of Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Francis Tolentino was launched by 200 Aquila Legis Fraternity brothers at the Manila Polo Club last Saturday. Among the attendees were Rep. Gigi Aggabao, Sherwin Tugna, Bebot Bello, former Reps. Bem Noel, Sandy Urrom, Charles Digs Dilangalen, Tony Dequiña, Usec Jose Chito Brillantes, Commissioner Manny Garte, Board Member Arleigh Sitoy, Vice Governor Vince Revil, Mayor Boy Tan, Farley Ampil, Migz Peña, Teddy Cruz, and Jimmy Policarpio.

Luis Cardinal Tagle joined the Pope in Philadelphia.

Gilas Pilipinas basketball team finally beat Iran, 86-73, at the  World Fiba Championships in China.

Happy birthday greetings to Senator Bong Revilla.