Senator to gov’t: Don’t sacrifice children’s welfare for revenue
Alarmed by report that children’s nutrition is affected by inflation and the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law, Sen. Bam Aquino stressed that their health should be prioritized over government revenue.
“Nakakabahala na mga bata ang pinakatinding tinamaan ng TRAIN Law at mataas na presyo ng bilihin,” said Aquino referring to a report by Ateneo de Manila University researchers that Filipino children were deprived of needed nutrients due to high inflation from February to September.
“Huwag ipagpalit sa dagdag na buwis ang kalusugan ng ating mga anak,” added Aquino, one of four senators who voted against the ratification of the TRAIN Law.
Reiterating his willingness to work with the government to lower prices of food and other goods, Aquino said there is an urgent need to suspend and roll back of the excise tax on petroleum products imposed by the TRAIN Law.
Aquino submitted Senate Bill No. 1798 or the "Bawas Presyo sa Petrolyo Bill" last May to suspend the excise tax on fuel under the TRAIN Law and roll it back to December 31, 2017 levels.
The only measure in the Senate that seeks to amend the TRAIN Law, Senate Bill No. 1798 aims to suspend the collection of excise tax on fuel once inflation rate surpasses the government’s inflation target for three consecutive months.
Furthermore, Aquino said the government should ramp up the rollout of the social mitigating measures under the TRAIN Law, including the unconditional cash transfer program, Pantawid Pasada Program and even the 10-percent discount on NFA rice.
He also called on the government to fully implement Republic Act 11037 or the Masustansiyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act, which aims to eradicate hunger and undernutrition by providing free nutritious meals to public day care, kindergarten and elementary school students.
Aquino pushed for the passage of the measure as principal sponsor and coauthor during his term as chairman of the Committee on Education in the 17th Congress. KIDAPAWAN CITY – A businessman and his security guard were hurt when unidentified men lobbed a grenade in front of a variety store in the North Cotabato town of Pikit Sunday evening.
Chief Inspector Teng Bacal, Pikit town police chief, identified the victims as Kim John Tañada, 28, and his security guard Christopher Monteciño, 39. Both are residents of Poblacion, Pikit.
Bacal said the suspects were on board a motorbike and tossed the grenade at about 8 p.m. as they passed by the roadside store.
Police believed personal grudge was behind the attack. Tañada and Monteciño were first brought to Cruzado medical clinic but later moved to Kidapawan Doctors Hospital in Kidapawan City.
Bacal said the suspects fled toward Barangay Ladtingan, a gateway to the vast Liguasan marshland, which the military said is frequently used by the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) as jump off and extraction point for their criminal activities.
Bacal said police investigators are following up on a lead about the suspects’ identities.
He said shooting incidents have been rising in the town due to reprisals originating from family feuds in Pikit and nearby towns.
“Most of the victims and perpetrators though were not from Pikit,” the police official said, noting that since January, at least 40 cases of violence, mostly shooting incidents, have been reported in the town.