The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) lambasted President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo anew as well as her cohorts in the House of Representatives and the Senate for brazenly pushing the anti-people 20% percent increase in the Value-Added Tax. 

According to Danilo “Ka Daning” Ramos, secretary general of the group, “due to this oppressive bill nothing would be left for us farmers but ipa (rice husk). The prices of all farm inputs would definitely increase as well as the prices of basic commodities. This would further compound our poverty, considering that 75% of all the farmers in our country do not own the land they till,”

“A concrete example would be urea, the  most widely used fertilizer by peasants. It now cost P875 a sack but due to VAT this will increase to a whopping P1050 a sack. Now you will need 6 sacks for a hectare, how in heaven can we afford this increase? Urea’s components as we know are imported, then manufactured, then distributed, then it goes to the wholesaler, then the retailer and ony after that will it go to the consumer. But in every stage or process a 12% VAT is added thereby causing a tremendous increase in its price,” added the peasant leader.

  “As a consumer we are also being stomped, the sardines that normally costs P10, is now P12. How can we now eke a living?” lamented the Ramos.

As for his part Carl Anthony Ala, public informnation officer of KMP “what we are asking is for both houses of Congress to junk the VAT. The Admininistration should instead concentrate its efforts in stopping corruption, having a debt moratorium, more efficient tax collection and go after tax evaders The total amount that can be collected from these is at least P257.55 B. A far cry from the measly P35B-40B to be collected from the VAT,”

“Today being Valentine’s day, the government, should show that they have a heart for the already sufering masses,” ended. Ala. # # #
 

KMP - 16 February 2005