Senate-authored bill on excise tax accepted in House

A bill that originated from the Senate sought to give administrative powers to President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to temporarily suspend excise taxes on fuel was passed at the House of Representatives.

The passage of the proposal was part of the many legislative measures that were approved by lawmakers during the final day of congress sessions last Wednesday, 19 March.

Deputy Majority Leader and Camarines Sur 2nd District Rep. Luigi Villafuerte declared during a House plenary session that bill sponsor House committee on Ways and Means officially aligned its bill with a legislation passed in the Senate.

“We have been informed that the Committee on Ways and Means, sponsor of [House Bill] No. 8418 as well as the authors thereof, is in concurrence with the provisions of [Senate Bill] No. 1982 as an amendment to House Bill No. 8418,” Villafuerte explained.

The motion was subsequently approved by Deputy Speaker and Quezon City 2nd District David Suarez, granting the House the ability to skip a Bicameral Conference Committee hearing that will take place between congressmen and senators.

With the bill's passage, Section 148 of the National Internal Revenue Code that imposes excise taxes on fuel has been amended, allowing the President to grant a suspension of such through a declaration of national emergency or high global oil prices.

Such proclamation was said to decrease oil prices of products like diesel, currently priced at an average of P100 per liter, by as much as P6 to P10.