BATANGAS CITY – Independent senatorial candidate Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Saturday scored a double win here after getting the endorsement of Finance Secretary and former senator Ralph Recto not just for his senatorial bid but also for his advocacy to empower local government units (LGUs).
In throwing his support behind Lacson’s senatorial bid, Recto said he is confident Lacson will keep watch over the national budget to make sure taxpayers’ money will be used properly.
“I am sure Ping Lacson will guard the budget where the government spends P16 billion a day. His and fellow senators’ role will be important in this respect,” he said in Filipino at a gathering with local mayors here Saturday afternoon.
Related: Recto, Inendorso ang Senatorial Bid at National Budget Advocacies ni Ping Lacson
Recto also expressed support for Lacson’s proposal to empower LGUs by giving them added incentives to improve their tax collection to spur economic growth – through a “rebate” of their contributions to the national government’s tax collection.
Lacson thanked Recto for the support, saying that in the case of Batangas, whose Gross Domestic Product was at P645 billion in 2023 and whose contributions to the national coffers could reach P77 billion in 12% Value-Added Tax (VAT), could get a 1% “rebate” that could reach P770 million.
However, he made clear that the “rebate” will only be for infrastructure, development and livelihood, and not for other purposes that may become subject to abuse.
“So when we invite you for hearings to discuss this proposal in the Senate, you won’t oppose it, right? Thank you, thank you,” Lacson told Recto.
At the press conference of the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial slate, Lacson said his proposed “rebate” is a takeoff from his Budget Advocacy for Village Empowerment (BRAVE) where unused funds in the budget can be distributed to the provinces, municipalities and cities.
Lacson also said they will study how to make the rebates equitable, so poorer LGUs can benefit from this setup as well.
“We will study the distribution of the LGUs’ contribution to the national government to ensure development. After all, the LGUs are the backbone of development,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lacson pushed anew for incentivizing Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, which account for 99.6 percent of industries in the country and 66 percent of our labor force.
This will boost tourism, manufacturing and other industries not just in Batangas but around the country, he said.
“Our focus now is on big ticket investments from abroad. Yet we can harness and help through incentives like tax holidays for our MSMEs, especially the small and micro that are struggling,” he said.
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Recto, Inendorso ang Senatorial Bid at National Budget Advocacies ni Ping Lacson
BATANGAS CITY – Naka-double win dito nitong Sabado si independent senatorial candidate Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson matapos makamit ang pag-endorso ni Finance Secretary at dating Sen. Ralph Recto hindi lang para sa senatorial bid niya kundi pati na rin sa kanyang adbokasiya para bigyan ng kapangyarihan ang mga local government units (LGUs).
Sa pagsuporta sa senatorial bid ni Lacson, sinabi ni Recto na malaki ang kumpiyansa niyang babantayan ni Lacson ang pambansang budget para tiyaking hindi masayang ang pera ng taumbayan.
“Si Sen. Ping Lacson, sisiguraduhing babantayan ang budget ng ating pamahalaan kung saan gumagastos tayo ng P16 bilyon kada araw. Kaya mahalaga ang papel na gagampanan ng mga senador kasama si Sen. Lacson,” aniya sa pagtitipon ng lokal na aklalde dito Sabado ng hapon.
Nagpahayag din si Recto ng suporta sa adbokasiya ni Lacson para sa LGU sa pamamagitan ng insentibo para paigtingin ang kanilang pagkolekta ng buwis para palaguin ang ekonomiya, sa pamamagitan ng “rebate” ng kanilang kontribusyon sa koleksyon ng buwis ng pambansang pamahalaan.
Pinasalamatan ni Lacson si Recto sa kanyang suporta. Aniya, sa Batangas, na may Gross Domestic Product na P645 bilyon noong 2023 at ang ambag sa koleksyon ng pambansang pamahalaan ay aabot ng P77 bilyon sa 12% Value-Added Tax (VAT), maaari itong makakuha ng 1% “rebate” na aabot ng P770 milyon.
Nguni’t nilinaw ni Lacson na ang rebate ay para lamang sa infrastructure, development at livelihood, at hindi para sa ibang pakay na maaaring abusuhin.
“So pag nagapatawag kami ng committee hearing, di mo io-oppose ha? Salamat, maraming salamat,” ani Lacson kay Recto.
Sa pulong pambalitaan naman ng Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial slate, sinabi ni Lacson na ang kanyang mungkahing “rebate” ay base sa kanyang Budget Advocacy for Village Empowerment (BRAVE) kung saan ang pondong hindi nagamit sa budget ay maaaring ipamahagi sa probinsya, bayan at lungsod.
Dagdag ni Lacson, pagaaralan nila kung paano tiyakin na makatarungan ang mga rebate para pati ang mas mahirap na LGU ay makinabang.
“Pag-aaralan ang distribution ng contribution ng LGU sa national government para matulungan ang development. After all, ang backbone ng development ang LGUs,” aniya.
Samantala, tinulak muli ni Lacson ang kapakanan ng Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, na sakop ang 99.6% ng industriya at 66% ng labor force.
Ito ang magiging mabuti para sa turismo at ibang industriya hindi lang sa Batangas kundi sa buong bansa, aniya.
“Parang ang focus natin big ticket investments, galing sa ibang bansa, samantalang kaya natin i-harness, tulungan, bigyan ng incentives, initially tax holiday, lalo ang mga nag-struggle pa, micro and small,” aniya.
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