Arroyo government is a "tax regime" -- CPP
July 26, 2004

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today lambasted the Arroyo government as a "tax regime" for planning to impose a number of additional tax burdens on the people.

At the same time, CPP spokesperson Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal exhorted the people to resist these additional and heavier taxes as well as other burdens on the already very much impoverished people. Rosal's call was made on the occasion of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's state of the nation address and the opening of the 13th Congress.

Rosal said the additional tax measures is seen as a vital plank to prop up the Arroyo government which is expected to sink deeper into financial and economic morass unless the mounting public sector deficit is reduced. The new taxes are expected to generate as much as P80 billion additional annual revenue to partially fill up the growing deficit, keep the government machinery running as well as to be able to pay off due loans. Through her majority control of the Philippine congress, Arroyo hopes that her proposals for additional taxes will be approved within a few months.

Rosal said that in imposing additional taxes, the Arroyo regime is actually implementing an IMF policy-dictate. "The IMF wants the government to use the additional taxes to be able to prove it be will not collapse under the burden of huge public sector deficits and also not fail to pay off its huge debts. The IMF dangles for this its seal of approval for the government to be able to borrow much desperately needed new loans from imperialist banks."

The CPP spokesperson said further that it is completely unjust for the Filipino people to pay for the gargantuan public sector deficits and bear the brunt of tremendous public sector debt payments. "The deficits and monies from debts have after all mostly gone into the pockets of big bureacrats in government offices and government corporations, military expenses, imperialist and comprador plunder as well as payments for old debts," said Rosal. "Why should the attempt to plug those hopeless deficits mean larger deficits in the people's already too-meager incomes?"

Rosal said that the imposition of new tax burdens on the people will not solve the worsening present economic crisis, nor will it even address the growing public sector deficit problem. "The budget deficits continue to grow from year to year because of worsening corruption, wasteful and non-productive expenditures, intensifying militarization of the countryside, and because of ever increasing debt payments."

"The Filipino people should vigorously resist the imposition of new tax burdens," Rosal added. "Additional taxes will only further reduce the meager take-home incomes of the people, especially that of the impoverished sectors, as well as lead to higher prices of oil, public services, food and other basic commodities."

"The Filipino people cannot accept new tax impositions by a corrupt puppet government which has given priority to interests of the US, foreign and local big business, big bureaucrats, especially those in Malacanang, and the military establishment and, on the other hand, has consistently failed to address the urgent socio-economic needs of the people," Rosal said.

The new Arroyo tax burdens will be met with "widespread mass protests and possible civil disobedience."

Reference:
Anne Buenaventura
Media Officer
Cellphone Number: +63910-240-3553

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Arroyo government is a "tax regime" -- CPP July 26, 2004

Arroyo government is a "tax regime" -- CPP
July 26, 2004