follow Derek Jorge's "Komedya o Komida"in People's Brigada News Manila
Klinpix Janitorial and Pest Control Services is hiring riders with units of college or equivalent in non-formal training,pretty account executives (college graduates), drivers, graphic artist 09916444376, 09438144995
Hse committee updated MVUC rates
By Nidz Godino
"Bill is based on MVRUT bill passed on third and final reading in 18th Congress, after thorough deliberation and consultation with stakeholders and industry experts by our committee," House committee on ways and means approved bill updating rates of motor vehicle user's charges (MVUC).
With no objection from stakeholders who participated in hearing, panel chief and Albay Rep. Joey Salceda declared House Bill (HB) 376 approved by committee.
Bill aims to raise more funds for public transport modernization, while reducing rates for vehicles for-hire and exempting motorcycles and tricycles from charge.
Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said MVUC measure is one of six bills chamber hopes to pass by December.
In his second State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. identified MVUC measure as priority legislation.
According to Salceda, HB 376 seeks to amend Republic Act No. 8794 or MVUC enacted more than two decades ago, and impose Motor Vehicle Road User's Tax or MVRUT instead.
Measure is also part of priorities of Development Budget Coordination Committee, which estimated revenues of P151 billion from 2024 to 2027 from measure.
Finance Undersecretary Cielo Magno told committee at hearing DOF "fully supports" measure.
"We believe simplified version of MUVC bill would be very supportive of needs of Filipino people for seamless mobility that would provide safe reliable road systems," she said.
Bureau of Internal Revenue lawyer Anne Lorainen Garcia-Marquez also expressed BIR's support for measure she stressed would "help government generate revenues to defray necessary expenses such as road development for betterment of country."
But PISTON chair Modesto Floranda has expressed concern additional taxes would further burden public transport sector.
"So if imposing additional taxes could not be avoided, we hope this will be imposed on big businessmen and rich individuals, not us," he maintained.
Salceda explained t public utility vehicles (PUVs) would actually enjoy 50 percent discount under measure.
Aside from this, part of MVUC collections would be earmarked for PUV operators to help them modernize their units.
According to lawmaker, FMJ has authority to adjust MVUC rates annually as stipulated in RA 8794.
But since enactment of law in 2014, MVUC rates had been adjusted only once , not even for inflation in past 19 years before enactment of law in 2014.
"So, actually, it takes courage for Congress to undertake this, but it's Congress, as representatives of people, who would be in better position to decide these things," Salceda stressed.
Measure aims to raise some P274.45 billion over next five years. It also seeks to earmark 45 percent of incremental revenues for PUV modernization program, and five percent for road crash prevention programs.
"As envisioned, earmarking for PUV modernization will be enough for equity subsidy of P500,000 per unit of PUV," he maintained.
DOF estimates implementation of MVUC reform will have minimal impact on public transport fares in 2024.
Proposal would also result in minimal impact on inflation at 0.068 percentage points next year.
Meanwhile, Romualdez said seven of 17 measures cited as priority by FMJ in his SONA had already hurdled chamber.
"I am extremely confident House would again rise up to occasion and accept challenge from our President: to pass 17 priority measures needed to sustain our economic recovery and improve living condition of our people," he said.
Ten pieces of legislation are being readied for approval by October, among them four taken up in SONA labeled as "priority" , Anti-Agricultural Smuggling, Amendments to the Cooperative Code, Tatak Pinoy and Blue Economy.
Expected for approval by December aside from MVUC are Military and Uniformed Personnel Pension, Revised Procurement Law, New Government Auditing Code, Rationalization of Mining Fiscal Regime and National Water Act.
List of 17 SONA priority measures, according to Speaker, does not include proposed 2024 national budget of P5.7 trillion, which Executive Department will submit to Congress sometime next month.
"Of course, most important bill that we need to discuss and approve soonest time possible is 2024 General Appropriations Bill based on National Expenditure Program prepared by Executive Department," Romualdez pointed out.
No comments:
Post a Comment