excise tax

Under TRAIN, the poor bear the greater burden (TRAIN Infographic #2)

September 7, 2017

Under the tax ‘reform’ package which is currently being deliberated by the Philippine Senate, the poorest 60 million Filipinos will pay Php47.0 billion in additional taxes next year which is 2.3% of their combined family income of some Php2.0 trillion. The highest income 40%, meanwhile, will pay Php47.6 billion which is only 0.8% of their total family […]

Tax the richest to provide much-needed social services, Duterte gov’t urged

September 27, 2016

Research group IBON remarked that the Department of Finance’s (DOF) proposed tax plan essentially remains elitist and is inconsistent with President Duterte’s pro-poor stance. Following the president’s lead, government should be brave enough to tax the richest businesses and families instead of burdening the poor with new taxes. The DOF on Monday submitted to Congress […]

World Bank tax help unwelcome

September 20, 2016

Research group IBON said that the World Bank’s recent offer to assist the Department of Finance (DOF) with its tax reform plan, although not surprising, is unwelcome news. The World Bank with twin global financial pillar International Monetary Fund (IMF) has long been at the forefront of designing the Philippines’ regressive tax system, including providing […]

TAX GANERN! DOF’s Tax Reforms Tax the Poor and Relieve the Rich (Part 1)

September 2, 2016

by Sonny Africa (First of Two Parts) The Department of Finance (DOF) will submit a tax policy reform program to Congress in September. The administration’s economic managers are using Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s current popularity to push an unpopular pro-rich neoliberal tax agenda. The proposed program lowers the tax burden on the rich and on big […]