ROXAS PUSHES FOR MEASURES TO PROVIDE RELIEF FOR FILIPINOS
JUAN DELA CRUZ' POCKET MORE URGENT THAN POLITICAL SPECULATIONS

Senator Mar Roxas stressed the urgency to respond now to everyday needs of the people and alleviate their diminishing purchasing power, particularly as world crude oil price has reached $100 per barrel, an extraordinary situation.

During the 777 Media Forum held Friday in Pasay City, the Liberal Party president pushed for a concrete platform on how to alleviate the people's plight: suspend the expanded value tax on petroleum products, exempt minimum wage earners from income tax and ensure affordability of medicines.

"Ang pinag-uusapan ngayon ay lahat ng uri ng tambalan, lahat ng uri ng pulitika, pero batay sa ano? Hayaan na natin sa mga abugado at political analysts ang mga bagay na iyan. Ang mahalaga ngayon ay ang laman ng bulsa ni Juan dela Cruz," he stressed.

"Sa platapormang ito, bukas kaming makipag-alyado sa lahat ng grupo, alyansa, NGO, sa pagsulong ng pagtanggal ng VAT sa produktong petrolyo, sa produktong petrolyo, pagtanggal ng income tax sa minimum wage earners at ang affordable medicines bill," he said.

Roxas stressed that the situation where world oil prices have reached $100 a barrel is "not normal," and this will remain for a while. He said the previous situation when the EVAT was passed�where oil was only around $30 a barrel�will not return in the next six months.

"Hindi pangkaraniwan ang panahon ngatyon. Sobrang mahal na ang singil sa mga produktong petrolyo. Mabuti pa na imbes na ang gobyerno ang mangolekta at gumastos nitong EVAT, mas mabuti na si Juan de la Cruz, na siyang kumita ng perang ito ang gumastos," he said.

He said the same principle applies to the income tax system, where even minimum wage earners are still being taxed, yet the people do not feel the benefits coming from how the government spends these monies. He added that the situation is unfair, as big-time tax evaders and smugglers are still on the loose.

"Ang prinsipyong ito ay simpleng-simple: pera ni Juan dela Cruz ito. Unless na maipakita ng gobyerno na mas maganda ang kanyang paggastos kaysa kay Juan dela Cruz, mas mabuti pa rin na si Juan dela Cruz ang gumastos ng kanyang pera," he stressed.

On the Quality and Affordable Medicines bill, the Senate Trade Committee Chairman sees that this will be passed within the first quarter of the year, or even by February.

He said he has already had initial discussions with Rep. Antonio Alvarez, the House Trade Committee Chairman, and will set bicameral conference committee meetings during the break, to facilitate discussions when session resumes late in January.

"We expect that we will come to the bicam and we will come to an agreement. Ang mahalaga rito ay hindi ito contest na parang tennis ng House at Senate versions. Ang importante dito ay ano ang pinakamabuting probisyon para madagdagan ang kompetisyon dito sa pharmaceutical industry," he said.

"Ang isyu dito ay hindi price control ngunit sino ang magpapatupad ng price control? Ang gusto namin sa Senado ay yung Secretary of Health at Pangulo, para may political accountability at mayroong transparency - mayroong klarong decision maker," he added.

He said addressing these urgent yet basic concerns will empower Filipinos more than speculations about the next elections, which is still two years down the road.

"We'll move the country forward, give some relief to our people, and our country will be much better off, and Filipinos will be able to choose their leaders wiser. More money in the people's pockets means they are less susceptible to vote buying and political patronage," he stressed.