Poe muling ihahain panukalang suspensyon sa excise tax sa langis

Nakatakdang ihain ni Sen. Grace Poe ang kanyang panukalang naglalayong suspindihin ang pangongolekta ng excise tax sa langis para maibsan ang hagupit ng pagtaas ng presyo nito sa mga mamamayan.

Sa ilalim ng panukala ni Poe, aamiyendahan ang Section 148 ng National Internal Revenue Code para awtomatikong masuspinde ang koleksyon ng excise tax sa regular gasoline, unleaded premium gasoline at diesel kapag ang average Dubai crude oil base sa Mean of Platts Singapore sa loob ng tatlong buwan bago ang nakatakdang pagtaas ay umabot o lumampas na sa US$80 kada barrel.

Ang suspensiyon sa oil excise tax ay magbibigay ng kagyat na kaginhawahan sa publiko dahil bababa ang presyo ng produktong petrolyo na magreresulta naman sa bawas-presyo ng mga kalakal at serbisyo.

"Para sa ating mga kababayang nakikipaglaban sa kahirapan araw-araw, ang palugit na ito ay lubid ng buhay," paliwanag ni Poe.

"Ang cash aid na popondohan ng gobyerno mula sa excise tax ay maaaring huli nang dumating sa mga pamilyang wala nang makain ngayon," diin ni Poe, "May kasabihan tayo, 'Aanhin pa ang damo kung patay na ang kabayo.'"

Ang nasabing panukala ay isa sa kanyang mga ihahaing lehislasyon pagsapit ng 19th Congress sa Hulyo.

Ang mga buwis ay malaking karagdagan sa mataas nang presyo ng langis sa pandaigdigang pamilihan. Alinsunod sa Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law, ang excise tax sa regular at unleaded premium gasoline ay P10 kada litro, habang P6 naman sa diesel. Bukod diyan, ipinatutupad rin ang 12 porsiyentong value-added tax sa bentahan ng gasoline at diesel.

Kung sususpindihin ang excise tax, P10 agad ang mababawas sa kada litro ng gasolina at P6 naman sa diesel.

Ang kapangyarihang ipinagkaloob sa ilalim ng TRAIN law na suspindihin ang koleksyon ng excise tax ay transitory at sakop lamang ang mga taong 2018 hanggang 2020.

Samantala, nagpatupad na naman ang mga kumpanya ng langis ng panibagong pagtaas sa presyo na epektibo nitong Hunyo 21.

"Kung nagagawa ng pamahalaang magbigay ng bilyun-bilyon para sa cash aid, magagawa rin nitong palampasin ang bahagi ng kikitain mula sa excise tax sa pinakakritikal na panahon para maisalba ang buhay ng milyun-milyon nating mga kababayan," diin ni Poe.

"Umaasa tayo na ang tumitindi nang panawagang ito ng ating mga mamamayan ay bibigyan ng seryosong konsiderasyon ng papasok na administrasyon," ani Poe.

Poe to refile bill to suspend oil excise tax

Sen. Grace Poe is set to refile her bill seeking to temporarily halt the collection of excise tax on oil products to cushion the blow of the price surges on the Filipino people.

Poe's bill proposes to amend Section 148 of the National Internal Revenue Code to provide for the automatic suspension of the excise tax on regular gasoline, unleaded premium gasoline and diesel when the average Dubai crude oil based on Mean of Platts Singapore for three months prior to the scheduled increase of the month reaches or exceeds US$80 per barrel.

Poe said suspending oil excise taxes will bring instant relief to the public as it will lower the prices of fuel products, resulting in the reduction of costs of goods and services.

"To our people in daily survival mode, the oil tax reprieve will provide a crucial lifeline," Poe explained.

"The revenues the government will generate from the excise tax to fund cash aid might come too late for families who have nothing to eat now," Poe stressed, "As the saying points out, 'Aanhin pa ang damo, kung patay na ang kabayo.'"

The senator said the bill will be among the pieces of legislation that she will file when the 19th Congress convenes in July.

Local taxes add substantial costs to the already high prices of fuel in the world market. Pursuant to the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law, the excise tax on regular and unleaded premium gasoline is currently set at P10 per liter of volume capacity. The excise tax on diesel is pegged at P6 per liter. A value-added tax of 12 percent is also imposed on the sale of gasoline and diesel.

The suspension of the excise tax will immediately bring down costs by P10 per liter for gasoline and P6 per liter for diesel.

The authority granted under the TRAIN law to suspend the collection of excise tax was transitory and covered only the years 2018 to 2020.

Meantime, oil companies announced another round of increase effective June 21, 2022, which could bring local fuel prices to P100 per liter.

"If the government is willing to spend billions in cash assistance to targeted beneficiaries, then it should also be ready to forego a portion of its revenues during the most critical times in order to save millions of lives," Poe emphasized.

"We hope that this call on excise tax suspension, which is becoming louder by the day, will merit serious consideration from the incoming administration," the senator said.

To help ease the impact of oil prices, Poe earlier urged government agencies to effectively implement a Civil Service Commission resolution allowing a flexible work arrangement for government employees without sacrificing prompt and quality public service.