By Filane Mikee Cervantes/Philippine News Agency
MANILA — The Senate will reconsider its approval of the bill increasing the excise tax on tobacco products to introduce an amendment regarding the shares of local government units (LGUs) from the tobacco tax collection, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said on Tuesday.
Zubiri said they would open the period of amendments to propose changes to the shares received by tobacco-producing LGUs and approve the measure on second and third reading again during plenary session.
He noted that the House of Representatives is expected to adopt the new version precisely to dispense with the convening of a bicameral conference committee.
“Procedurally, (we would do a) reconsideration of approval of the sin tax measure, open the period of amendments, amend what was agreed upon between the DOF (Department of Finance) and the House. Pass it again on second and third reading this afternoon. Then, it will be adopted by the House,” Zubiri told reporters.
“We would no longer meet for a bicam. There’s no more time for that,” he added.
Zubiri said several lawmakers from the Northern bloc in the House of Representatives opposed the sharing percentage for the provinces and municipalities.
“Sabi ni Speaker GMA (Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo) pinuntahan daw siya ng mga (Speaker GMA said she was approached by) Northern bloc congressmen and they threatened not to approve the sin tax measure if this was not addressed. We have to fix it and come up with a compromise para maipasa namin (for us to pass it),” Zubiri said.
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