Agricultural groups kay Duterte: Excise tax suspendihin ng 1 taon

MANILA, Philippines — Umapela kahapon kay Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte ang 36 agricultural organization na mag-isyu ng Executive Order para suspendehin ang excise tax sa petroleum products ng isang taon kaugnay ng serye ng pagtaas-presyo ng langis na labis na nakaapekto sa industriya ng palay, mais, mga magsasaka ng gulay, hog raisers, magmamanok at maging sa mga mangingisda.

“Since Congress is suspended and given that the country remains under a state of emergency because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the President can issue an order similar to what he did last year when he signed two EOs that reduced import taxes on chilled and fresh pork meat and raised the minimum access volume for pork imports to address the supply shortage and soaring prices,” pahayag ni Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) President at Abono Party-list Chairman Rosendo So.

“This will be a win-win solution for agricultural producers, transport groups, and consumers,”pahayag ni So.

Binigyang diin ni So na ang pagsuspinde ng excise taxes sa fuel ay magpapababa ng pump prices mula P6 hanggang P10 per liter.

Ang presyo ng mga produktong petrolyo ay siyam na beses na magkakasunod na linggo tumaas na katumbas ng year-to-date adjustment o tinata­yang P19.65 per liter para sa gasolina, P18 per liter para sa diesel at P15.49 per liter sa kerosene.

“Corn feed prices have already increased from P14 to P15 per kilo to P21 per kilo because of the hefty increases in fuel prices,” ani So matapos tumaas din maging ang presyo ng corn feeds mula P1-P7 kada kilo.

Samantala ang Finance Department ay sinabing ang gobyerno ay nakahandang magbigay ng P24.7 bilyon sa excise revenues at karagdagan pang P106.7 bilyon sa incremental income sa pamamagitan ng Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law sa 2022 ng excise taxes sa petroleum products kung isususpinde ito.

“What is P24.7 billion compared to P138 billion foregone revenues? It’s just a drop in the bucket.  Why not also allow the suspension of the excise taxes on fuel if it would mean mitigating its debilitating effect on our rice, corn and vegetable farmers, hog raisers, chicken growers, and fishery sector?”, ayon pa kay So.