No shortchanging farmers under Bongbong, Salceda says

Farmers can expect to get full support from the government like agricultural machinery, fertilizers, and insecticides, following President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s pledge to help the sector.

According to Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, Marcos, in appointing himself as Agriculture Secretary, wants Filipinos to enjoy more affordable food while ensuring that those from the agricultural sector are not shortchanged when the time comes to buy their crops.

Salceda said the President’s late father and namesake also provided loans to farmers to the tune of P58 billion through Presidential Decree 27.

He said based on the President’s State of the Nation Address, the latter wants to support the 3.4 million beneficiaries of the government’s agrarian reform program, aside from condoning their loans.

On generating government revenues, Salceda, chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, said the government should tax the rich to raise funds for public services.

He added that since the Constitution explicitly requires that the tax system be progressive, that responsibility should bear more heavily on the wealthy.

Salceda said “the best way to tax the wealthy is either through their immovable wealth (land) or through their conspicuous consumption,” particularly luxury goods in the country, which could some P71 billion in revenues annually.

He added he will shortly file a bill that will tax the rich.

He said he has already crafted various legislations designed to raise revenues for the government, among them the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) 1 and 2, and the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE).

Salceda said “the luxury goods market in the Philippines is worth P71 billion in revenues annually. That should raise between P12 to P18 billion annually. Removing the excise tax exemption on pickup trucks and the tax discount on expensive hybrid cars, is also something I am looking at.”