Consumers group opposes tax on text

A militant consumers group opposed yesterday the proposal of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to tax text messaging to raise more revenues for the government.

Anthony Ian Cruz, spokesman of Txtpower, told the weekly Kapihan sa Cypress that they will be holding a series of mass protests actions to block the proposal.

The IMF last week proposed an excise tax on text messaging.

Cruz said that if this pushes through, the telecommunications companies would definitely pass on to cellphone users now estimated to number14 million.

"Even imposing at least one centavo tax per text message would mean at least P500 million income for Smart and Globe and other telecommunications firms as the average cellphone user now sends at least eight to 10 text messages per day, " Cruz said.

Meanwhile, Txtpower convenor Trixie Concepcion, said the best way to cut down the budget deficit is to save precious public funds, combat corruption that eats 20 percent of annual appropriations of the entire government and stop expensive trips abroad by top government officials.