BACOLOD City – Many members of the Senate are against the proposed second package of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law, according to Sen. Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV.
“Many of us are not in favor of TRAIN 2 and if it will be filed, we will either block it or amend it,” stressed Aquino, who was in the city on Aug. 9 for a meeting with vendors at the Central Market.
TRAIN 2 will have a hard time moving into legislation, Aquino said, citing the problems that came with the first TRAIN package.
During the dialogue vendors said the current tax reform has greatly affected the prices of basic goods and services.
This sentiment is shared by progressive labor groups in Negros Island. They blamed President Rodrigo Duterte.
TRAIN is in line with the Duterte administration’s vision to “to correct a number of deficiencies in the tax system to make it simpler, fairer and more efficient,” according to the Finance department.
“It also includes mitigating measures that are designed to redistribute some of the gains to the poor,” it added.
But labor groups said TRAIN is “anti-poor,” adding that minimum wage earners suffer from its effects.
Under the TRAIN 2 draft, private schools will be forced to increase their tuition, Aquino claimed.
Stakeholders from several industries are worried over TRAIN 2’s effects and might opt to transfer their investments to other countries, said the opposition senator.
That could mean displacement of workers, Aquino added./PN
