MANILA, Philippines – Iminungkahi ng Department of Finance (DOF) ang mas mataas na buwis sa matatamis na inumin, e-cigarettes, alak, plastik, mamahaling sasakyan, aircraft, yate, alahas at pabango upang mabawi ang tinatayang P67-bilyong mawawala sa kita ng pamahalaan dahil sa panukalang tax relief.
Sinimulan ng House Committee on Ways and Means nitong Martes, Agosto 4, ang pagtalakay sa Pro-Growth Revenue Enhancement for Sustainable Spending o ProGRESS package.
Kasama sa panukala ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ang pagtataas sa tax-exempt annual income ceiling mula P250,000 patungong P350,000 at pag-aalis sa 2-percent minimum corporate income tax para sa mga kuwalipikadong micro at small enterprises.
Tinataya ng DOF na makikinabang dito ang hindi bababa sa 3.13 milyong taxpayer at 78,000 micro at small businesses, ngunit posibleng bumaba nang P67 bilyon ang koleksyon ng gobyerno sa 2027.
Upang mabawi ito, iminungkahi ng DOF na itaas mula P6 patungong P20 kada litro ang excise tax sa sweetened beverages na gumagamit ng caloric sweeteners. Mula P12 naman ay gagawing P40 kada litro ang buwis sa mga inuming gumagamit ng high-fructose corn syrup, na may 5-percent annual indexation.
Nais din nitong alisin ang tax exemption sa 100-percent natural fruit at vegetable juices, ice cream, frozen yogurt at iba pang edible ices.
“Many studies have shown that the consumption of these products (100 percent natural fruit juices) are as harmful as soda,” ani DOF Undersecretary Karlo Adriano.
“The more affordable the SB (sweetened beverage), the greater the consumption… The more affordable the SB, the higher the prevalence of obesity. Hence, the solution for this particular problem is the updated sweetened beverage tax,” dagdag niya.
Ayon kay Adriano, maaaring bumaba nang 27.2 percent ang konsumo ng sweetened beverages at humigit-kumulang 32 percent naman sa carbonated drinks.
Iminungkahi rin na ipantay sa tradisyunal na sigarilyo ang buwis sa heated tobacco at vapor products sa P72.93 sa 2027, na may 5-percent taunang pagtaas. Papatawan naman ng P72.93 kada dalawang milliliters ang novel tobacco products at P150 bawat unit ang mga e-cigarette device.
“Very unequal ‘yung taxation of e-cigarettes, technically lower than traditional cigarettes… Many studies have shown that e-cigarettes are just as harmful as traditional tobacco,” ani Adriano.
“Pinantay namin ang taxation ng e-cigarettes to traditional cigarettes at P72.93,” dagdag niya.
Nais ding itaas ng DOF ang excise tax sa distilled spirits mula P74.16 patungong P157.21 kada proof liter sa 2027, na may 6-percent annual indexation.
Papatawan naman ng P150 kada kilo ang plastic sando bags, labo bags at sachets, na may 5-percent taunang pagtaas.
Sa wealth tax component, itataas mula 50 percent patungong 75 percent ang buwis sa mga sasakyang nagkakahalaga ng hindi bababa sa P8 milyon. Mula 20 percent ay gagawing 25 percent ang buwis sa aircraft, yate at private vessels, alahas at pabango.
Iminungkahi rin ng DOF na i-adjust ang motor vehicle user’s charge batay sa inflation.
Kapag naisabatas, inaasahang makalilikom ang mga panukalang ito ng P112.44 bilyon sa 2027, kabilang ang P88.10 bilyon mula sa mas mataas na buwis sa sweetened beverages, sin products at flexible plastics.
Gayunman, nagbabala si House Committee on Ways and Means Chairperson Rep. Miro Quimbo na maaaring maapektuhan ang mahihirap at middle class sa buwis sa plastic bags at mas mataas na motor vehicle user’s charge.
“Dapat hindi maging anti-poor or mapinsala ang mahihirap. So ang unang-una talaga diyan is itong sando bags sa mga palengke. Alam naman natin ang gumagamit lang talaga diyan ay ang mga mahihirap, or really the lowest of the middle class… Hindi na siya ganoon ka-significant as a damage,” ani Quimbo.
“Baka naman pwede pag-aralan din ma-carve out ito, because really ang mas harmful ang sachet economy natin na naglipana. Maaaring alisin natin ‘yan, especially if the revenue collection is going to be small, yet napakaraming mahihirap ang tatamaan. Anyway, many of the LGUs are already prohibiting it,” dagdag niya.
“We’re definitely open to any suggestions from the legislative side,” tugon ni Adriano.
Nagpahayag din si Quimbo ng pag-aalinlangan sa panukalang pagtaas sa motor vehicle user’s charge.
“I’m very hesitant relative to the MVUC…We expect to recover P20 billion in terms of revenue, just for 2027, pero pag tiningnan mo, karamihan ng nagrerehistro, mga may-ari ng sasakyan are also the middle class. By doubling that, I don’t want us to be accused that with the left hand, we give them tax relief, but with the right hand, we impose a different tax on another commodity that they own,” aniya.
Nagbabala naman si Batangas 6th District Rep. Ryan Recto na maaaring lumala ang smuggling kapag sobra ang itinaas sa buwis sa alak at sigarilyo.
“Is 100 percent increase on the excise tax for alcohol a little bit too high? Can we balance it, make it a little lower? From our very rough calculations now, even if we decrease it by 50 percent, it will still be revenue neutral,” ani Recto.
“The intent really is to increase the excise tax rate and make it less affordable… Alcohol consumption has some negative externalities. It causes road accidents… They have also associated this also to violence against women, among others,” tugon ni Adriano.
“For a particular industry, like cigarettes, for example, if the tax is a little too high, it might lead to smuggling,” ani Recto.
“We will be doing both—one is to increase the tax rate, and at the same time strengthen the enforcement in tax administration,” sagot ni Adriano.
Hiniling din ni Albay 1st District Rep. Cielo Krisel Lagman na muling pag-aralan ang patuloy na tax exemption ng 3-in-1 coffee.
“Sa proposal po ninyo, still exempted ang 3-in-1 coffee… Ang isang sachet ng 3-in1 coffee mayroong 4 to 5 teaspoons of sugar, and that is around 32 percent to 40 percent ng limit na sine-set ng (World Health Organization),” ani Lagman.
“Kung ang rason natin ay kasi ‘yan ang kino-consume ng mahihirap, at pantawid-gutom ‘yan, edi sila rin ang mapupuruhan sa diseases na kayo rin ang nag-present kanina. Palagay ko dapat i-reconsider ‘yan,” dagdag niya.
“Yes, we are open to suggestions,” tugon ni Adriano. RNT
