Senate employees protest tax on gov’t workers’ fringe benefits

Wearing red ribbons and button pins, some members of the Senate employees’ union held a silent protest on Tuesday against the imposition of withholding tax on government workers’ benefits.  Maila Ager/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines – About 100  union members of the Senate came out of their  offices  on Tuesday to protest  the  imposition of  withholding  tax  on government  workers’  fringe benefits.

Wearing red ribbons and buttons, members of the  Senate employees’ union Sandigan ng mga Empleyadong Nagkakaisa sa Adhikain ng Demokrasyong  Organisasyon or  S.E.N.A.D.O-COURAGE,  led by its president Dakila Millamena, trooped  to  the hearing  of the Committee on Ways to protest the government ‘s move.

Millamena said they did not abandon their work but they just came out to attend and listen to the hearing of the committee on various tax measures.

He said their group was not only complaining about the withholding tax that would be imposed on their fringe benefits but is also seeking a salary increase for minimum wage earners.

Millamena said that from the present P9,000,  the  minimum wage of  government employees  should be raised to P15,000 a month.

“Instead of taxing our benefits, they should raise the salaries of government employees,” Millamena said in an interview with reporters.

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