(File photo) MANILA - Albay Rep. Joey Salceda on Monday said Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno has agreed on the need for a medium-term fiscal plan, which Congress will institutionalize in a joint resolution to help accelerate economic growth and reduce the public debt ratio to 52.5 percent by 2028. "Secretary Diokno and I have agreed on the need for a medium-term fiscal plan that takes into account revenue as well as expenditure projections until 2028, the end of PBBM's (President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr.) term," Salceda told reporters in a message. "I have committed to file the Joint Resolution on the matter, awaiting the incoming Speaker's instructions." Salceda, chair of the House committee on ways and means, said the panel is prepared to provide the needed legislative support for the revenue base under the joint resolution. He said the medium-term fiscal program will be a "path for revenues" to go from 15.3 percent of the gross
SAP EXPANSION. Department of Social Welfare and Development personnel distributes cash assistance under the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Acting presidential spokesperson Martin Andanar on Thursday (March 10, 2022) said he sees the need to expand the SAP to relieve Filipinos from spiraling prices of petroleum products caused by the Russia-Ukraine conflict. (PNA file photo) MANILA - Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, acting presidential spokesperson, on Thursday said he sees the need to expand the existing social amelioration program (SAP) to relieve Filipinos from spiraling prices of petroleum products caused by the Russia-Ukraine conflict. In an interview over DZBB, Andanar said he favors the distribution of a cash subsidy but acknowledged the challenges of generating funds for the program. "Kung gugustuhin talaga mas gusto natin mayroong ayuda, may SAP lahat (If it were up to me, I favor cash aid, everyone would have SAP)
MANILA - The House of Representatives on Monday unanimously approved on final reading a measure increasing the discount granted to senior citizens on their monthly electric and water consumption and exempting such bills from value-added tax. With 203 affirmative votes, zero negative votes, and no abstention, the chamber passed on third and final reading House Bill 10568, which would amend Republic Act 7432 or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010. The bill proposes to raise the rate of discount granted to senior citizens on their monthly electric and water consumption from the present 5 percent to 10 percent. Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means, said the exemption would still be subject to a cap on consumption, but for electricity consumption, the limit is also increased in the bill from 100-kilowatt hours to 150. The cap on water is kept at 30 cubic meters. Salceda said the measure contains a safeguard against abuse. "The measure explicitly
MANILA - A measure increasing the discount granted to senior citizens on their monthly electric and water consumption and exempt such bills from value-added tax hurdled second reading approval at the House of Representatives. During Tuesday's plenary session, the chamber passed through voice voting House Bill 10568, which would amend Republic Act No. 7432 or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010. The bill proposes to raise the rate of discount granted to senior citizens on their monthly electric and water consumption from the present 5 percent to 10 percent. Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means, said the exemption would still be subject to a cap on consumption, but for electricity consumption, the limit is also increased in the bill from 100-kilowatt hours to 150. The cap on water is kept at 30 cubic meters. Salceda said the measure contains a safeguard against abuse. "The measure explicitly states that the senior has to be living in the h