Roxas urges SC to affirm tax exemption
Daily Tribune
October 4, 2008
Maanne Lopez
Beat: Manila (Supreme Court)
Published
Roxas urges SC to affirm tax exemption
Liberal Party president Sen. Mar Roxas yesterday urged the Supreme Court (SC) to immediately rule on the implementation of the law exempting minimum-wage earners from taxes.
Roxas said the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Department of Finance (DoF) have not fulfilled the intention of Congress to tax exempt minimum wage earners throughout the year.
The senator said instead of having the tax exemption effective on July 6, the BIR restricted ots provision which is not indicated in Republic Act (RA) 9504.
Roxas’ tax exemption petition was supported by the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, Courage, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers, the Alliance of Progressive Labor and Bayan Party-list.
According to the implementing rules and regulations released by the BIR and DoF, the tax exemption will only take effect on July 6 instead of Jan.1 or throughout the year.
“Government is depriving low-income earners even this little alleviation,” said Roxas.
The senator believes that the SC will support the petition based on the previous decisions of the court on tax exemption.
Roxas said RA 9504 was passed to enable each Filipino family to afford a 36-pero rice-and-sardine menu everyday. “It was supposed to bring relief to the poor.” Maanne Lopez
