(Eagle News) — Minority senators on Wednesday, Oct. 10, filed a joint resolution calling for the suspension of the excise tax under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law and mandating the rollback of levy on fuel to December 31, 2017 rates.
In filing Senate Joint Resolution No. 15, Senators Franklin Drilon, Francis Pangilinan, Bam Aquino, Risa Hontiveros, Antonio Trillanes and detained Senator Leila de Lima expressed hope the Senate would “take a unified stance on suspending the excise tax on fuel for the millions of Filipinos burdened with the rising prices of goods.”
“Napilitan na ang Pangulo na pag-isipan ito. Ipahayag na natin agad-agad na suportado ng Senado ang pagtigil ng excise tax sa petrolyo,” they said.
According to the opposition senators, since the implementation of the TRAIN Law on January 1, 2018, gasoline prices have increased by “as much as P10.50, diesel prices by P12.00 and kerosene by P14.12.”
Inflation, for its part, they said, has increased beyond the government’s target of 2 to 4 percent, to 6.7 percent in September.
“Magkaisa sana ang Senado para bigyan ng ginhawa ang mga Pilipino,” they said.
