In the Senate, led by Senate President Franklin Drilon, although the floor deliberations will be dominated by the amendments to the controversial ValueAdded Tax (VAT) measure, other issues will be continuously heard, especially in the committee.
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo expects Senate action this week on urgent revenue bills, particularly the expanded ValueAdded Tax bills, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said.
Today, there will be four committee hearings, mostly tackling economic, trade, finance, and tourism issues.
First on the calendar of the day is a public hearing on legislation to assist financially distressed enterprises. The hearing will be held by the Senate Committee on Banks headed by Sen. Ramon Magsaysay Jr.
Next on the calendar is an inquiry on the instilling of fiscal discipline in the public sector by "specifying principles of responsible financial management and promoting full transparency and accountability in government revenue, expenditure, and borrowing programs." The Committee on Finance, headed by Sen. Manny Villar, will be joined by Sen. Ralph Recto, who heads the Committee on Ways and Means, at the hearing.
In the past some senators have openly pushed for a debt-cap on public borrowings to rein in the government from excessive foreign borrowing.
Sen. Richard Gordon will be joined by Senators Magsaysay and Recto when the Committees on Tourism and Ways and Means deliberate on establishing a national tourism policy aimed at attracting tourists to the country. The hearing will also discuss a proposal for the creation of a new government office called Tourism Development Advisory Council.
In the afternoon, the Senate Committee on Trade and Commerce headed by Sen. Mar Roxas will continue its hearings on pyramid scams that have rocked the country in recent years. The scams have duped thousands of Filipinos, among them highly placed government and military officials and celebrities.
It is to be expected that certain provisions of the Consumer Act will be amended to put to end to the scams that some senators consider a capital offense.
The Consumer Act, Republic Act 7394, will be amended to define what are considered pyramid sales schemes and provide for a stiffer penalty for violators.
There are now no legislation regarding this offense but violators are tried under other laws, such as the Bouncing Checks Law and the Estafa Law.
If the calendared schedules remain, the busy week will continue on Wednesday and Thursday. Normally no committee hearings are scheduled on Fridays but some may opt to use the extra day to tackle issues not addressed during the regular schedule.
GMA prods Senate on revenue bills
After the three-day special session she called before the Lenten break fell short of what she had wanted, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is now expecting the approval of revenue bills, particularly the Expanded Value-Added Tax (VAT) hike bill, within the week immediately after the opening of Congress today.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita yesterday urged lawmakers to reconcile their differences and ratify the proposed increase of the VAT rate from 10 percent to 12 percent when they resume their regular session today.
Also pending in the Senate is another measure lifting the VAT exemptions of certain industries, notably the oil and power industries.
"Basta ang inaasahan natin sa pag-resume ng Congress bukas sana naman sa loob ng isang linggo ay mapagtibay na ng Senado ang VAT na galing sa House, yung increase from 10 percent to 12 percent at saka yung exemption for power and fuel (We expect the Senate to endorse the House-approved version, increasing the VAT from 10 percent to 12 percent and the lifting of exemptions on power and fuel, when Congress resumes tomorrow," he said.
Ermita lauded the efforts off Senate President Frankilin Drilon to have the two houses of Congress forge a compromise version of the VAT bill amid disagreements over the lifting of VAT exemptions of certain industires and sectors.
"We welcome the initiative of Senate President Drilon. Nangako naman si Drilon na maipapasa ang VAT. Lahat ng bagay siyempre may compromise, and that compromise could be reached during the bicameral conference committee (Drilon promised approval of theVAT. Everything has a compromise)," he added.
Drilon had earlier called on Sen. Ralph Recto, chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, and his House counterpart, Rep. Jesli Lapus of Tarlac, to begin deliberations on a possible compromise version of the tax proposal ahead of the bicameral conference commitee hearings. He said the congressional leaders must find a compromise that is acceptable to both houses.
The Senate has yet to finish its version of the tax bill, which seeks to retain 10 percent VAT rate and lift exemptions on goods and sectors. Almost all senators wanted to keep the VAT rate untouched, but disagreed on proposals to lift exemptions on power and oil.
The House of Representatives, on the other hand, approved the Palace-backed higher VAT rate and removal of exemptions enjoyed by professionals, power, and petroleum.
The President has repeatedly called on Congress to pass the higher VAT rate, which is in the package of tax reforms to yield P80 billion in fresh revenue to bring down the bloated budget deficit and finance development projects.
She warned the country might fall into a debt crisis in two years, unless additional taxes are imposed.
Mrs. Arroyo even directed Congress to cut short its Lenten vacation and hold a three-day special session starting last March 30 to speed up the approval of the VAT law. But the special session ended without the Senate approval of the tax proposal.
Several lawmakers and militant groups said the proposed higher VAT bill would only push the inflation upward, and make the lives of the poor harder.
So far, Congress has passed the higher excise taxes on alcohol and tobacco products and the incentive program for revenue-collecting agencies. (GDK)
