By Atty. Antonio P. Pekas
If there is anything Senator JV Ejercito should be remembered for, it should be his statement the other day regarding the low tax on tobacco products. He said he was “disappointed” that the Bicam composed of congressmen and senators to tackle that matter must have been influenced by the “tobacco lobby.” Actually he was even brutally frank having specifically mentioned Lucio Tan, the owner of Fortune Tobacco Corporation which owns Philip Morris and other cigarette brands in the country.
What he was saying is that this country’s officials are still controlled by oligarchs. How do they control the supposed “Honorables”? By buying them.
Why did the “Bicam” taxed heavily diesel, gasoline and kerosene which are socially sensitive as these directly affect us members of the masses then it went easy on tobacco products? They could have taxed sky-high not just tobacco products but also alcoholic beverages, soft drinks which are inflicting diabetes and “tsitserya” which can cause even more serious health problems like cancer.
The excise tax on petroleum products will reach about P7.00 but will be implemented on a staggered basis. What we will feel starting January 16 will be almost P3.00 per liter while tobacco products will only be slapped just about P2.50.
Sad but true. This country, despite the millions of supposed learned voters, is still being run by the whims of oligarchs.
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I bought the other day three publications which you don’t see anymore on the sidewalk. One was a foreign news magazine while the other two were national dailies which are not commonly bought. The common denominator among their contents was “marijuana.” And then just this morning, CNN had a newscast about the number of states in the USA that legalized the use of marijuana. If I am not mistaken more than half of the states there have done so. A number of them went to the extent of legalizing recreational use of the substance—not just for medical purposes.
One of the publications went on to say that PDu30 is aware of the medical value of marijuana and he was supposed to have said that he will not deprive the people of such benefits.
So marijuana has become a multibillion business in the US. Even Mike Tyson has now a marijuana resort where you can go and buy and use marijuana.
In the near future, the mystery of marijuana would not be there anymore. Aficionados in Metro Manila would not anymore be coming to the remote towns of the Cordillera to buy. They will just plant their own in their own backyards. Or in flower pots inside their houses or offices.
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Another commodity that should have been taxed heavily should be vehicles. The taxes were minimal for those whose prices are below a million. What was disappointing was, those that are priced at one million pesos to four million pesos are only taxed 20%.
For me, that rate should be OK as far as those valued at one million pesos to two million pesos. But those valued at two million to four million should have been taxed more. It should be forty percent. These should be considered to be in the luxury segment already.
Another disappointment is the exemption of pick-ups from the imposition. This is under the presumption that such vehicles are mainly being used for business purposes. But that is not true in this country. Pick-up are “pang porma” here.
A good exemption was on electric vehicles (EVs). This is pro-environment. Somebody like me who cannot afford a brand new car would do everything that is necessary to buy a new EV if they become common here, and if they become as practical the way the new Chevy Bolt is which, alas, is not being sold here yet.
The reason: It is pro-environment.
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