VAT for online goods, service to also burden consumers — Makabayan bloc

MANILA, Philippines — Putting a 12-percent value-added tax on digital platforms’ products and services such as Netflix, Shopee, among others, will ultimately burden the consumers who were already shouldering the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Such was the assertion of the Makabayan bloc of the House of Representatives on Thursday, days after the House panel on ways and means approved the proposal to impose a 12% VAT on some foreign and local companies providing services through digital and electronic platforms.

Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Ferdinand Gaite described the proposed tax measure as “regressive” and “anti-people” since it does not tax people “who can pay more.”

“‘Yung malalaking korporasyon, ‘yung mga bilyunaryo, na karapat dapat na patawan ng mas malaking buwis, ang sinisingil ay ‘yung mga ordinaryong mamamayan sa pamamagitan nitong online tax,” he said in an online press briefing.

“Obviously, napaka-desperate nitong gobyerning na ito maningil ng karagdagang buwis sa naghihirap nang mamamayan,” Gaite added.

The passage of such law would only pass on higher subscription fees and service charges to consumers, especially those who will be attending online classes and working from home, Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas said.

“Ang mas mahihirapan dito ay ‘yung mga anak na mag-aaral sa kanilang mga bahay at ang mamomroblema dito ay ang mga nanay at gumagamit sa trabaho ng online,” she said.

“Walang puso ang administrasyon na ito kung ganito yung type ng mga batas na ipapasa natin,” Brosas added.

For Kabataan party-list Rep. Sarah Elago, instead of imposing new taxes on the public, the government should crack down on corruption and fix the current tax system’s inefficiencies.

“Imbis na dagdag buwis ay dagdag efficiency at bawas corruption naman pagdating sa taxation dito sa bansa,” she said.

JE