Angara vows swift action on suspension or scrapping of excise tax hike on fuel

Sen. Sonny Angara (File photo by LYN RILLON / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

The Senate will act swiftly once the proposed measures from the House of Representatives on the suspension or repeal of fuel excise tax hike reach the upper chamber of Congress, Senator Sonny Angara said on Thursday.

The House of Representatives on Wednesday started tackling measures on the suspension or repeal of the excise tax on fuel and petroleum products. The lower chamber also created a technical working group to discuss the proposals.

“Ako kumpiyansa ako na ’pag pinasa ng House yan, ipapasa din ng Senado ’yan. Basta ang usapin ay sa buwis, kailangan magmula yan sa Kamara de representante so once pinasa nila, I’m sure mabilis ang aksyon ng Senado dyan at ng komite,” Angara told reporters in an interview.

The senator said the Senate could consider scrapping the excise tax increase on fuel once the House of Representatives approves of it.

“Once inaksyunan po yan ng Kamara sa ilalim ng Saligang-Batas, sa palagay ko mabilis ang magiging aksyon ng Senado. We will act on it immediately. aaksyunan namin yan kaagad,” he said.

Angara, who chairs the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, pointed out that it is important to tackle mitigating measures or financial aids promised to the public if the excise tax increases push through.

“May kaakibat dapat na ibibigay yung pamahalaan sa ating mahihirap na pamilya,” he said.

Angara agreed with Senator Aquilino Pimentel III’s pronouncement that it is “very difficult” to impose the excise tax on fuel, whose price is unstable and very volatile.”

“Let this be a lesson to all of us: it is very difficult to impose an excise tax on an item whose price is unstable and very volatile, and completely beyond our control and even our influence whatsoever,” Pimentel said in a text message to reporters, Thursday.

READ: Clamor to suspend excise tax on fuel rippling in Senate