Press Release
April 16, 2008

ROXAS TO ADMIN: EXERCISE POLITICAL WILL TO PASS MEDICINES BILL, OIL VAT RELIEF AND TAX BREAK BY LABOR DAY

Senator Mar Roxas today said the administration must exercise political will to ensure that measures that would provide much-needed relief to people will be passed by Labor Day. These are the Quality Affordable Medicines bill, the suspension of the value-added tax on oil, and the exemption of minimum wage earners from income tax.

"It all boils down to political will. Kung talagang gusto ng administrasyon na makatulong sa ating mga kababayan, dapat nitong siguruhing maipasa ang mga batas na ito para umabot sa Mayo uno (If the administration really wants to help our countrymen, it should ensure the immediate approval of these laws by May 1)," the Chairman of the Senate Trade Committee said.

Roxas, Liberal Party President, noted that how the Quality Affordable Medicines Bill had been delayed in the past, saying "This law cannot be delayed any further." He recalled that in the last Congress, ironically, the executive was not able to move the administration-dominated House to immediately pass its version of the bill.

"We welcome the President's recent call to drop the generics-only proposal, but it is just one step. If the administration is really earnest, it could easily lead the House to pass this, just as how it has easily led the House in the past to quash impeachment complaints or almost pass Charter Change," he added.

The proposal to require only generic names to be written on prescriptions came from the House version, while the Senate version did not, as they see the need to thresh-out this proposal further. The Senate Committee on Health, led by Senator Pia Cayetano, is conducting hearings on bills proposing such.

Roxas meanwhile said that the proposal to suspend the VAT on oil has not yet moved in the House because the administration is more concerned about keeping revenues intact than giving a respite to consumers and commuters.

"Ayaw ng Palasyo, kaya hindi rin ito gumagalaw sa House. Hindi kami makakilos sa plenaryo ng Senado, kahit pinapabor na ito ng ating Committee on Ways and Means Chairman na si Sen. Chiz Escudero (The Palace doesn't like it, so it's not moving in the House. We can't bring it to the Senate plenary, even though our Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Sen. Chiz Escudero is in favor of it)," he said.

Roxas meanwhile said the Palace has promised in past Labor Day celebrations that minimum wagers will be exempt from income tax, but has yet to materialize. He said the Constitution requires all tax measures to emanate from the House.

Roxas filed Senate Bill No. 1658, the proposed Quality Affordable Medicines Act, that seeks to increase competition locally in order to bring down prices of medicines; SB 1962 to suspend the VAT on oil products for six months; and SB 103 that would exempt minimum wage earners from paying income taxes.

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