Sin tax on salty foods
In the news lately is a Department of Health (DOH) proposal to impose a tax on salty products for public health reasons. The reasoning being put forward is the same as that for tobacco, alcohol and sugared drinks. The tax proposal is a bad idea.
Put the TRAIN back on track
The TRAIN (Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion) is being derailed, and I cannot understand why Malacañang called in the senators last Wednesday, apparently to urge them to pass the derailed version. My information is that 16 of them responded.
President Duterte’s lament and the road to self-sustaining economic growth
The true test of whether the Duterte government can take the road to self-sustaining growth revolves around the recently announced tax reform program. If this bold reform program gets approved, the goal of achieving sustained growth would be near in sight.
The tax reform program: social and economic implications
More elaboration is coming out from the Duterte government concerning the tax reform package now in Congress. In particular, I refer to Tax Reform Package 1.
Will the next President inherit a weak or strong tax system?
The harsh reality is that the next administration will be faced with more formidable spending challenges. The K+12 educational reform is a good program but it is seriously underfunded.
Tax system: make it fairer, simpler, and more efficient
The existing tax system is complicated, inequitable, inefficient and inadequate to sustain the massive public expenditure needs of a growing economy. Despite the best effort by Bureau of Internal Revenue commissioner Kim Henares, tax effort, the ratio of taxes to gross domestic product (GDP), remains mediocre.
Oil prices down: Time to raise taxes on oil?
Filipino consumers should not get used to cheap oil since the country is heavily dependent on imported oil.
Alonso i Terme on tax effort and tax reforms
Professor Rosa Alonso i Terme's views on tax effort and tax reform were extensively covered in an article by Amado Mendoza, Jr. writing for the news site, Interaksyon.com.
Illicit cigarette trading up, and so is revenue loss
New disturbing evidence has emerged recently. It supports the view that illicit trade is rising and that, as a result, significant tax loss has been incurred by the government. For the Philippines, it is estimated that the tax loss from illicit consumption of cigarettes rose 496.6%, according to a recent study by Oxford Economics....
Stalled by an unpredictable, uncompetitive tax regime
Ever wonder why the Philippines has attracted the least foreign direct investments into the country, compared to its ASEAN-5 neighbors? The Philippines has the highest corporate income tax rate, one of the highest personal income tax rates, and an unpredictable way of honoring VAT refund.
Government employees no longer the downtrodden
It surprises my students when I state that the unemployed generally are less poor than their employed counterparts (or, stated differently, the poor cannot afford to be unemployed), and that government employees are not among the poor.
Why we attract the lowest FDIs
The Philippines was one of the most aggressive in pushing for the ASEAN Economic Community from the original 2020 target year to 2015. But now that ASEAN integration is just around the corner, the Philippines appears to be least attractive investment destination in the ASEAN region. What a pity!
