Tax issue shouldn’t be used to gain ‘pogi’ points, says Roxas

Mar Roxas Photo by Julliane Love De Jesus/INQUIRER.net

The issue of lowering income tax rates should not be discussed in this period of political campaign, Liberal Party standard-bearer Mar Roxas said on Tuesday.

Roxas said reforming tax measures should be tackled “soberly, maturely and responsibly” as some individuals are taking advantage of the issue to gain popularity.

“I’m not putting up this argument to say I’m not for it (lower income tax) but this requires a very sober discussion. Frankly, it shouldn’t be discussed in the heat of political elections,” said Roxas during the forum with Presidential candidates hosted by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Tuesday.

“Kung papogihan lang ito, ‘wag na tayo mag-income tax, diba?” he said.

Roxas’ opponent in the presidential race Vice Presidential Jejomar Binay is pushing for lower tax income rates.

READ: Binay’s tax reform plan: Higher tax for the rich, lower tax for workers

Roxas is skeptic about the reduction of tax rates imposed on workers.

“Any reduction of income tax will lead to reduction of service, the improvement of infrastructures and the economy that the tax payers are benefitting from,” he said.

But as a senator in 2004, Roxas was among the proponents of the bill reducing tax and exempting minimum wage earners from tax imposition. TVJ