LEADERS in the House of Representatives will consider the proposals of the stakeholders of the proposed Tax Reform for Attracting Better and High Quality Opportunities (Trabaho) bill.
Committee on Ways and Means chairman and Quirino Rep. Dakila Carlo Cua and Bataan Rep. Jose Enrique Garcia III stated this after Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and the lawmakers held a dialogue with locators at the Freeport Area of Bataan (FAB) to clarify some of the provisions of the Trabaho bill that may affect the latter's operations.
The event was attended by about 15 of the biggest FAB locators and Bataan Governor Albert Raymond Garcia, Mariveles Mayor Ace Jello Concepcion and Authority of the Freeport of Bataan (AFAB) chairman and Administrator Emmanuel Pineda.
According to Cua, valid proposals were raised during the dialogue.
These, he said, will soon be discussed by the House of Representatives and the Department of Finance (DOF).
“Tinanggap naman natin na valid ang mga proposals, itatalakay natin yan in coordination with the DOF para makita naman natin ang other side of the story,” said Cua.
Among the issues discussed was the granting of tax incentives that are performance-based, transparent and time-bound, said Cua.
Garcia said the proposed amendments to the bill can be done in the plenary and in the committee on ways and means.
Finance Undersecretary Karl Kendrick Chua, who was also present during the dialogue likewise assured the FAB locators that the government will keep an open mind to their proposals.
"The Chairman (Cua) can attest to that. When I submitted the original bill, it has gone through several revisions because we have listened and tried to adjust, and we continue to listen,” he told the locators.
The House committee on ways and means approved the Trabaho bill, a substitute bill to the Tax Reform For Acceleration and Inclusion (Train) 2 Train last August 7.
According to Cua, the bill seeks to create more jobs by attracting the right set of investments through incentives. (SunStar Philippines)