Around one million students and out-of-school youth will be able to study for at least four years should the P203-billion Marcos estate tax liability will be collected, said the President Isko Movement-Isulong ang Kapakanan ng Mamamayang Pilipino (PRIMO-ISKO) and the Youth for Isko Metro Manila-Rizal on Monday, April 18.
“Hanggang ngayon ay dama ng mamamayang Pilipino ang hirap ng buhay dala ng COVID-19 pandemic, at tuloy na pagtaas ng presyo ng gasolina kaya dapat lang na makalikom ng pera ang gobyerno para sa mga kabataan (Until now, the Filipino people have felt the hardships of life caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the continuous increase in fuel prices so it is just right for the government to raise money for the youth),” said PRIMO-ISKO President Nato Agbayani during a picket rally at the COGEO Market in Antipolo City.
Agbayani stressed that there were still many young individuals who cannot afford to finish their studies due to financial issues.
He noted that the proceeds from the tax liability of Marcoses would be a good source of budget for the education sector.
“Wag nating payagang tuluyang maiwan at isantabi ang kapakanan ng mga kabataan, isang milyong kabataan ang kayang pag-aralin sa loob ng apat na taon, sapat upang makatapos sila sa high school at kolehiyo hanggang makahanap ng hanapbuhay at makatulong sa bansa sa pamamagitan ng pagbabayad din ng tamang buwis (Let's not allow the welfare of the youth to be left behind and put aside, one million young people can afford to go to school in four years, enough for them to finish high school and college until they find a job and help the country by paying as well the right taxes) ,” Agbayani added.
There are around 39.2 million Filipino children, aging six to 24, who are out-of-school youth, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Meanwhile, at least 83.1 percent of the 39.2 million out-of-school youths are within 16 to 24 years old.
“Ibig sabihin nito, solved na sana ang malaking problema pagdating sa education backlog ng Pilipinas kung ang P203 bilyon utang mga mga Marcos ay babayaran nila (This means that the big problem when it comes to the Philippine education backlog would have been solved if the P203 billion debt of the Marcoses had been paid by them),” Agbayani pointed out.