BASED on the study of Ibon Foundation, the proposed increase on excise tax on all petroleum products would result to it being indexed to inflation. The petroleum excise tax is a fixed peso amount levied on every litre of particular petroleum products. Indexing this to inflation means that the tax will be periodically adjusted higher which means a perpetually growing tax on petroleum products and correspondingly higher prices.
The excise tax would not just affect fuels with direct effects on consumers such as diesel, LPG and kerosene. Items like bunker oil and asphalt are currently not levied an excise tax but would now be included.
On the other hand, there are excise taxes of up to P4.50 per liter or kilogram on oil products like gasoline, aviation fuel, lubricating grease and oils, naptha, and others. The DOF said that it wants to impose a tax of P6 per liter on diesel, among others, which is commonly used by public utility vehicles and by trucks transporting goods, as well as on LPG and kerosene which are directly consumed by poor households. It may also raise existing excise taxes to up to P10 per liter or kilogram.
We agree with Ibon that the higher excise tax on oil products will raise P178.2 billion in revenues but these billions are ultimately taken from consumers’ pockets when they buy oil products directly or when these are passed on in higher prices of goods, services and transport fares.
We hope that the DOF would follow President Rodrigo Duterte’s instruction last August to lift anti-poor and gender biased taxes and not add more tax burden to the public. –Carlos Isagani Zarate, representative, Bayan Muna
Be strong, Davao!
THE recent Davao City bombing that cost lives of the Filipinos, the Davaoeños in particular, was repulsive and horrible.
Speculations arise that the harassment to the Davaoeños may be caused by illegal drug traders who were hurt of the anti-drug campaign of the President or the Abu Sayyaf that is now under siege by the government troops, and on my personal analysis, it may be even be the unsatisfied New People’s Army and their allies. However, whoever may be the perpetrators, no amount of ideology, no amount of faith, and no amount of money can justify such ridiculous actions.
Killing people especially innocent individuals is an act of evil not of people with dignity.
Perpetrators may feel jubilant and thrilled with what they have done and what had happened after. They may feel proud for they have challenged the firmness, patience, and have damaged the ego of the leaderships of the local and national government. But never will it be celebrated nor they be congratulated for it.
I am a resident of Davao who loves the peaceful ambiance of the city, who loves the firmness of the government officials who run and govern the city, and loves its riches when it comes to its natural resources. In my 34 years in Davao, there were similar incidents of bombings but the Davaoeños stood firm, strong and defiant in the midst of all predicament.
Move on, Davao, be strong Davaoeños. –Lyka Magandia, lykamagandia2016@gmail.com
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