PRESIDENT Arroyo’s tough defense of the expanded value-added tax (E-VAT) in her 8th State of the Nation Address is expected. The government’s varied programs on providing popular but band-aid solutions to rising fuel, power and food prices largely depends on it, thus she cannot compromise the future of the country, lest her administration which is facing a hard and uphill battle come national and local elections in 2010.
While the good news is that this fiscal policy was implemented at the time when single-digit inflation rate was recorded prior to the abnormal rise of fuel cost and the looming recession of the US economy. These have indeed helped government shore up the much needed money to finance ongoing programs and projects for the masses.
The bad news is that majority of the people can no longer afford to shell out the 12 percent VAT for basic goods and services. Even the lowly ants gather food during sunny days while taking a break when storms come. One needs not be a degree-holder of economics to know what is out there.
All he or she has to do is check the public markets and ask the stall owners about their day-to-day sales, and most likely he or she will get a curt reply, “Matumal.” Why? Because many Filipino families would rather buy cooked food from their “suking carinderia” to save money and fuel. Same is true with jeepney drivers plying a short distance like here in Singalong.
People would rather take a walk than shell out P8.50, if not argue with the driver to give them senior citizens’ or student’s discount. Thus it would have been more relevant and substantial if she announced that she will immediately convene the Legislative-Executive Committee to study the effects of lowering the 12 percent VAT to a more realistic figure in view of the prevailing economic hardship that the people — whom she profoundly cared for — have been experiencing in the recent past.
All is not lost, however. It is time to listen to the voice of the people and give them hope than totally isolating the Palace and its occupant in an ivory tower.
Rhoniel Enrile Narca, Singalong, Manila, (via e-mail)
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October 9th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
I agree about jangjang statement that evat is the blood of our country. If you are an economist you will see that there is an improvement of our economy in a sense of our debt in other country is lesser than before.
I know that there’s a lot of corrupt government official, but for now we can’t do about it, all we have to do now is to cooperate in a sense that everybody will benefits. As you can see, most of the people now are complaining about our economic stability, high prices of necessity, goods and so on. But why is it that majority of the people only know is to complain? We can help to improve our economic stability by means of cooperation and changes of our attitude towards the situation that we are encountering now.
August 25th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
I know the feeling ms wonderwoman, I even dont have to read the whole of your post as your disgust on too much tax imposed on the Filipinos is evident.
True, we have assorted taxes but we dont see better results of what taxpayers are contributing to the national coffers.
Innefficient Govt people contributes highly to these problems and perhaps they just care about collecting and the figures they see on the board and not thinking or planning of major welfare benefiting the majority.
But taxes such as EVAT needs to be collected as this will be the blood that runs in the veins if we ever want to call the Phils a country. On the over-all, the country will not survive without these taxes.
EVAT is a bitter pill to swallow to many but it is one of the taxes that puts the Phils on the global map, we are recognized as the Philippines with systems and means to be capable to the eyes of the Int’l community.
August 22nd, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Jang-jang
You missed the point regarding EVAT on what I was pointing at. Please refrain from pin pointing or capitalizing on what Chiz Escodero said. After explaining my objections to EVAT, I do not see how you could have concentrated on the statement of Chiz Escodero. With or without his statement, my conviction to this objectionable EVAT still holds. There are other sources of revenue if only our corrupt agencies such as BIR, CUSTOMS, and extravagant EXECUTIVE and LEGISLATIVE branch are honest.
August 20th, 2008 at 8:41 am
Tax! Tax! And some more tax! This is the slogan of our government. Make the people suffer no matter what.
These back breaking taxes in all stratum of our life are highly irregular if not unjust. Many Filipino-Americans has returned to our country because of hardships they have encountered in America, yet by coming here, it’s like “being thrown from frying pan into the fire.” There is no hope here.
In spite of the wide spread destitution our people are experiencing in our native land, our government still has the temerity of imposing heavy tax burden.
Many of our Congressmen are no longer representing the will of its people. They belong to the well-to-do. They are oligarch or a small group of people who together govern a nation which often rules for their own benefit. They plunder what remains to our meager financial resources. All they deliver are empty rhetoric’s that does not contribute to its people’s welfare. They are nothing but vampires, beast, and plunderer. With so much compensation they receive, they still would seek to ransack our treasury.
They aggrandize themselves with so many privileges. They act as though they people owe to serve them, and not the other way around.
Our government is ruled by bunch of thieves, if not an ‘evil empire.’ And majority are ethnic Chinese.
August 19th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
there is nothing wrong with taxation as long as it is used for the welfare of all and not a few.
There should be a complete review and study of the EVAT. They should change the list of those items that are subjected to taxation..
Bart, your comments are funny but they make sense. Alcohol and tobacco should be heavily tax to minimize the comsumption its harmful effects.