By Charissa Luci-Atienza
Albay Rep. Joey Salceda has expressed confidence that the measure increasing excise tax rates on liquor, heated tobacco, and vapor products would be signed into law before the year ends.
Albay Rep. Joey Salceda
(RTVM / MANILA BULLETIN)
He said that aside from the 2020 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) or the proposed P4.1-trillion national budget for 2020, reform tax measures, specifically the proposed imposition of higher excise tax on liquor, heated tobacco, and vapor products will be enacted into law within this year.
"The two laws that will emerge are the budget and of course, taxes to pay for them, especially the deficit. So the excise tax on alcohol, tobacco, and vape will definitely come out," Salceda, chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, said in an interview.
"I am sure we will have a happy ending to 2019," he said.
Salceda is the principal author of House Bill 1026 which calls for the gradual imposition of higher taxes on liquor, heated tobacco, and vapor products. The House approved Salceda's measure on third and final reading in August this year.
Salceda noted that four tax reform measures are pending in the Senate. These include House Bill No. 304, the Passive Income and Financial Intermediary Taxation Act (PIFITA), and HB No. 4157, the Corporate Income Tax and Incentive Rationalization Act (CITIRA).
Last week, the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading House Bill 4664, which seeks to institute reforms in real property valuation and assessment in the country and aims to reorganize the Bureau of Local Government Finance.
Salceda said he is counting on the Senate to pass the Senate version of his measure increasing excise tax rates on liquor, heated tobacco, and vapor products on December 10 or before December 12.
"We expect that they will pass the measure next week," he said.
Senate Bill No. 1074, which was certified as urgent by President Duterte, is still under the period of interpellations in the Senate.
"If they will pass it on the 10th , there will be a bicam meeting on the excise tax on tobacco, alcohol, and vape," Salceda said.
"We expect the bicam (on) Thursday next week," he said.
He also cited the possibility of having a bicameral meeting on CITIRA if the Senate passes its own version of the bill.
"We can bicam that also before December 20," Salceda said.