Plastics tax, digital services tax included in legislative agenda

The excise tax on single-use plastics and value added tax on digital services are among the 11 bills that the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council added to the common legislative agenda of the 19th Congress.

According to the National Economic Development Authority, the LEDAC headed by President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. adopted the 11 measures on Wednesday during its third meeting under the 19th Congress.

The following are the additional 11 bills included in the CLA:

• Amendments to Government Procurement Reform Act
• Excise Tax on Single-Use Plastics
• Amendments to the Cooperative Code
• Amendments to the Fisheries Code
• New Government Auditing Code
• VAT on Digital Services
• Rationalization of the Mining Fiscal Regime
• Philippine Defense Industry Development Act
• Philippine Maritime Zones Act
• Open Access in Data Transmission Act
• Amendments to the Right-of-Way Act

Seven out of the 11 bills were mentioned by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as priority measures during his second State of the Nation Address last July, according to NEDA.

Among the seven bills were the amendments to the Government Procurement Reform Act, as presented by the Department of Budget and Management.

The salient provisions of the amendments to the Government Procurement Reform  law “aim to further improve and expedite the government’s procurement process, as well as address the procurement challenges experienced on the ground.”

“The timely passage of these priority bills will bring us closer to building a prosperous, inclusive, and resilient society for Filipinos,” said NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan.

During the LEDAC meeting, the NEDA said the Department of Finance presented its proposed amendments to the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act, which would include reforms on the VAT refund system and on the strengthening of the tax administration and governance provisions.

On Wednesday, the Senate and the House of Representatives said that they are on track for the passage of the 20 priority measures of the Marcos administration.

For the part of the Senate, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said about half of the 20 priority measures have been approved and ready for the President's signature.

The priority measures include the National Employment Action Plan; LGU Income Classification, Internet Transaction Act, BOT/PPP Act, Salt Development Industry Act, Ease of Paying Taxes, Real Property Evaluation and Assessment Reform Act, Magna Carta for Seafarers, and Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act.

Other measures included in the priority list are the Waste-to-Energy Bill, National Disease Prevention Management Authority, Amendments to the Banking Act or the Fund Secrecy Law, Medical Reserve Corps, Virology Institute of the Philippines, E-Governance Act, New Philippine Passport Act, the National Government Rightsizing Act, the National Scamming Act, the National Citizens Service Training Program Act and the Military and Uniformed Personnel Pension System Act.

Zubiri also said the General Appropriations Act was included in the priority measures that will be passed in December.

Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said that on the part of the House of Representatives, 18 out of the 20 priority legislations have already been approved by the lower chamber of Congress.

Under Republic Act No. 7640, LEDAC serves as a consultative and advisory body to the President on certain programs and policies essential to the realization of the goals of the national economy.

The President of the Philippines chairs the LEDAC. —NB, GMA Integrated News