Press Release
June 7, 2018

NANCY SEEKS INQUIRY ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MITIGATING MECHANISMS UNDER TRAIN
...says families already feel lingering pinch of high prices

Senator Nancy Binay is seeking for a Senate inquiry on the status of the implementation of social mitigating measures under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law.

With families already feeling the lingering pinch of high prices of basic commodities, Binay said the social mitigating measures provided under the TRAIN Law is necessary to assure the protection of poor and the near-poor Filipino families from the inflationary impact of the law.

"We need to know how effective the government is in implementing these measures because these were put in place specifically to mitigate the impact of TRAIN," Binay said.

Binay said that during a Senate hearing held in Iloilo City, they were told that pump prices in the Panay region have already increased by 30% or at least P10 for diesel and gasoline since December last year.

Consequently, prices of rice, pork and fish in the region went up by P5, P15, and P20 per kilogram respectively.

"Ngayong ipinapatupad na ang TRAIN, sana ay mas mabilis din ang pagtugon ng ating pamahalaan sa mga pangangailangan ng ating mga kababayan," Binay said.

According to Binay, if safety nets under TRAIN are not rolled out soon, then poverty gap will likely widen and government may not be able to cushion any longer the impact of the tax reform.

Binay likewise urged the departments of budget, finance, transportation, social welfare and other government agencies to put in place mitigating mechanisms as provided by law as a way of helping affected sectors out of financial burden.

A total of P28.8 billion had been allocated in the 2018 national budget to offset the effects of the new tax measure.

Under Section 82 of the RA 10963, jeepney franchise holders are entitled to fuel vouchers; while minimum-wage earners and the poorest 50 percent of the population are qualified for fare discounts, discounted National Food Authority rice and free skills training.

Likewise, a total of 10 million low-income households shall each receive P200 per month this year under the DSWD's unconditional cash transfer program.

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