Sen. Bam: Inflation rate still high, shelve plan to implement excise tax on fuel in 2019

The government should reconsider its decision to implement the excise tax on fuel under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law for 2019 as inflation rate remains far from its original target, according to Sen. Bam Aquino.

"Walang basehan itong pagbawi ng pangako ng gobyerno dahil mas mataas pa rin ang inflation sa sarili nilang target," said Sen. Bam, referring to the November inflation rate of 6.0 percent, which remains far from the government's inflation rate target of 2-4 percent range.

"Ibig sabihin, nasa gitna pa rin tayo ng krisis ng taas presyo kaya mali ang desisyong patungan ng excise tax ang produktong petrolyo sa susunod na taon," added Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam said the government should have based the suspension of excise tax on fuel on inflation rate and not on world crude prices, which he is pushing in his Bawas Presyo sa Petrolyo Bill that he filed in May 2018.

"Matagal na nating ihinain ang Bawas Presyo sa Petrolyo Bill na nagsisikap na baguhin at ayusin ang mga problemadong probisyon ng TRAIN. Ito na lang sana ang binigyan ng pansin ng economic managers, imbis na ulitin ang mga pagkakamali ng TRAIN Law," said Sen. Bam.

Earlier, Sen. Bam lamented the decision of economic managers to implement the excise tax on fuel for 2019, days after recommending its suspension.

"Nakakapagod ang mga urong-sulong na pangako, lalo na para sa mga Pilipinong nalulunod sa taas-presyo," said Sen. Bam.

"Pinakinggan sana ang taumbayan at hindi na gatungan ng buwis sa petrolyo ng TRAIN Law, habang alam naman ng lahat na ang pag-akyat nito ang dahilan sa mataas na presyo sa merkado," he added.