Friday, July 25, 2008 Palace defends Recto's appointment to Neda
MALACAÑANG said there is no better person to advise President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on what to do with the value-added tax (VAT) other than former senator Ralph Recto, who is the author of the Expanded VAT Law.
Recto's authorship of the e-VAT law, which Arroyo proudly announced during the administration's campaign trail in the 2007 senatorial elections, was seen as the reason for his defeat.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo dismissed statements that Recto's appointment is an insult to the poor who are burdened by VAT.
Fajardo said Recto's having authored the e-VAT law put him in the "rare position" of lending proper advice on VAT-related issues.
"Who better to advise the President on VAT matters, to give her the necessary inputs on how to use VAT, or even how to amend VAT to help our people in these trying times of world economic concerns? Let us all give Senator Recto the chance to prove himself," she said.
Fajardo said Recto would be an "asset" to the government because of his "in-depth understanding of political and economic perspective."
"He will give a rich political perspective of the aspiration of the masa and the ordinary folk, having served as senator of the land," she said.
Presidential Management Staff (PMS) director general Cerge Remonde said Recto is "ideal for the position because of his extensive experience in both politics and economics."
"VAT is not a burden on the poor. On the contrary, it is from VAT that the government is able to subsidize the poor," he said.
Albay Governor Jose Salceda, Arroyo's economic adviser, said Recto, his colleague in the House of Representatives, was a hardworking chairman of the committee on economic affairs of the 10th Congress and has "excellent credentials in economics."
Salceda said Recto also brings with him the additional distinction of being the husband-partner of Batangas Governor Vilma Santos-Recto, an award-winning actress.
"And Ate Vi (Santos-Recto) spices that with an LGU (local government unit) perspective. We get two in one: Ate Vi for home economics and Ralph for political economy. He is a friend - partner VATman," he said.
According to the Subsidy Program Monitor released by Malacañang on the status of the "Katas ng EVAT on Oil," as of July 21, the social welfare department has disbursed P891.295 million of the P3 billion Pantawid Kuryente Program.
The program has so far served 28.49 percent or 1.78 million of the 6.26 million target lifeline users.
On the P1-billion Scholarship and Student Loan Assistance Program, the Commission on Higher Education (Ched) has disbursed P986.48 million, serving 98.5 percent or 70,270 of 71,960 target beneficiaries.
On the P.5-billion Palit-Ilaw Program, the energy department has given out free compact fluorescent lamps in place of incandescent bulbs to electricity consumers under the lifeline subsidy.
On the P.5-billion Palit-Makina Program, the energy department is meeting with the concerned agencies and stakeholders for financial assistance for the conversion of public jeepneys and buses, conversion of tricycles from two- to four-stroke and the 30-centavo fuel discount, and the re-powering of 50 buses and 50 jeepneys to compressed natural gas by 2009.
Guidelines for implementation are still being worked out on the P.5-billion subsidy for poor senior citizens, the P1-billion subsidy for microfinance projects for wives and families of PUV (public utility vehicle) drivers and conductors, the P1-billion subsidy for Panay and other areas affected by the past typhoon, and the P.5-billion subsidy for hospitals upgrade. (JMR/Sunnex)
