By Myrna M. Velasco
Aviation fuels, lubricants and bunker fuel for power plants will also be enforced with higher excise taxes over the next three years, based on the draft Revenue Regulations circulated to the oil industry by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) relative to the implementation of the Tax Reform Acceleration and Inclusion Act.
For aviation turbo jet fuel which is used by the airlines industry, as well as kerosene being used as a base for aviation fuel, the excise tax will be at uniform P4.00 per liter for years 2018, 2019 and 2020, a marginal increase from what it is currently at P3.67 per liter.
Typically, adjustments in aviation fuel costs would result in surcharge or additional payments that travelers would be shouldering in their airfares. This will not help the previous bid of foreign carriers on proposed scrapping of excise taxes on aviation fuel with perceptions that the Philippines has the highest cost for aircraft fuels.
Lubricating oils and greases, on the other, will be levied the highest excise taxes of P8.00 per liter and per kilogram, respectively for year 2018. That will go up to P9.00 in 2019; and P10 in P2020, according to the BIR.
As prescribed, lubricating oils and greases shall include “base stock for lube oils and greases, high vacuum distillates, aromatic extracts and other similar preparations, whether such additives are petroleum based or not,” the BIR’s draft regulations stipulated.
It added that such shall also cover processed gas, waxes and petrolatum, denatured alcohol to be used for motive power, as well as asphalts.
Additionally, bunker fuel oils that are typically used by industries, including power plants are slapped with similar excise taxes as diesel, at P2.50 per liter in 2018; P4.50 in 2019; and P6.00 per liter in 2020.