ROXAS: "NOT BUSINESS AS USUAL"
TO GOV'T: STOP PIGGYBACKING ON PEOPLE'S PAIN; REVIEW SPENDING

The government should stop piggybacking on the people's pain due to all-time high prices of fuel and food, and instead should review its spending program and prioritize funding for food security and relief, Senator Mar Roxas said.

"Kakaiba ang sitwasyon ngayon, hindi na puwede ang 'business as usual.' Dapat agapan ang sitwasyon habang maaga pa. Dapat ipakita na ang gobyerno ay hindi manhid (The situation is very different now, the government should not be in 'business as usual' mode. The situation must be addressed immediately. The government must show it is not insensitive)," Roxas said.

"It would be too close-minded, or narrow-minded, or insensitive of the government if it refuses to change its previous decisions even if the situation is much, much different. It must accept that times have changed drastically," he stressed.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade and Commerce said by continuing to impose the 12% value-added tax on oil products at this time of crisis, it chooses to become part of the people's burden. He said the VAT on oil should be removed or suspended to give immediate relief to consumers.

"May kasalanan man ang mga naroon sa Middle East , na pinamahal nila talaga yung kanilang produkto, kabahagi sa kasalanan ang gobyerno kasi naka-angkas nga sila, nagpapamahal din sila sa produktong ito. (While those in the Middle East may have committed wrongdoings by unduly making their oil expensive, the government is part of the mischief because they are piggybacking on it, they're adding to the cost of expensive oil)," Roxas said.

Because present times call for different priorities, the Liberal Party President said the government, in consultation with the people, must review the budget and reallocate non-priority spending to fund urgent needs, particularly food security.

"Dapat i-realign natin ang budget nang sa ganoon, matugunan itong short, medium at long-term na pangangailangan ng ating mga kababayan at ng ating ekonomiya (We should realign the budget to address the short, medium and long-term needs of our people and of the economy)," he said.

"There really are excesses in government. Aside from addressing that, what we need to do is prioritize. If we have five things we consider important, what's our most urgent priority? Number one, dapat makakain tayo (our people should be able to eat). So for items two to five, even if they are important, we should reduce spending for these and transfer funding to number one," he said.

The senator said rice self-sufficiency is of utmost importance at this time, to ensure affordability and supply of food for the people.. "Kung magtaasan yung iba, kung makakain lang tayo, puwede nang pagtiyagaan ang sitwasyon (if prices of other goods increase, if our people are able to eat, the situation would be bearable)."