MAR: ECONOMIC ISSUES OVERSHADOWED BY
CHA-CHA TALKS IN COUNCIL OF STATE MEETING

Sen. Mar Roxas yesterday said pressing economic issues should have been given more priority at the Council of State meeting instead of divisive political topics such as Charter change and the scrapping of the 2007 elections.

Roxas, chairman of the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs, said ordinary Filipinos would appreciate the holding of a leaders meeting if it produced a clear and specific plan on how the government intends to improve peoples living conditions.

He said the government could specifically state how it intends to use the estimated P100 billion in additional government revenue that would be raised from the imposition of the expanded VAT this year to address the pressing problems facing the people.

The government can use the additional revenues to solve the perennial problem of classroom shortage in the country, he said. The people would then realize that their sacrifices are paying off. It may be burdensome to pay more taxes, but it would be worth it if they could see tangible results.

Roxas said it would be more prudent for the government to spend the additional revenues to address specific problems that have a direct impact on the peoples daily lives instead of resorting to short-term solutions such as distributing rice and noodles.

The government should give priority to issues and programs that would meet the needs of our countrymen, he said.