VAT sa power ibasura!

Hiniling kahapon ng isang consumer group kay Pangulong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo na alisin na nito ang Value Added Tax (VAT) sa elektrisidad kung tala­gang seryoso itong ibaba ang power rates. 

Sinabi ni Engieer Ramon Ramirez, con­venor ng People Opposed to Warrantless Electricity Rates (Power), na ang isang pamilya na komu­konsumo ng 200 kilowatt sa loob ng isang buwan ay puwedeng bumaba ang kanilang electricity bill ng 10 percent o maka­katipid ng P206 sa ka­nilang monthly bills kapag inalis ang VAT.  

“This reduction is significant and will provide consumers with more purchasing power for other needs such as rice and food,” paliwanag pa ni Engr. Ramirez.  

“The removal of the VAT on power, a charge that was not included in electricity bills before 2006, will be the fastest and most direct form of relief from higher electricity rates that the administration can do. We wonder why the government has not seen this before?” dagdag pa nito. 

Wika pa ni Ramirez, mayroong nakabinbin na panukalang batas sa Kamara at Senado hinggil sa pag-alis ng VAT sa kuryente at petroleum products. 

“However, there have been no significant movements regarding these bills because the administration has gone on record opposing the removal of the VAT on power and petroleum,” sabi pa ni Ramirez.