The women’s alliance Gabriela trooped to and protested at the Department of Finance national office in Pasay City on March 4. They demanded the removal of the 12% value-added tax (VAT) and excise tax amid relentless oil price hikes.

The alliance earlier led a series of anti-VAT protests in recent weeks across Metro Manila and several provinces. They also held assemblies and forums to discuss the VAT. The group launched a signature campaign aiming to gather 12,000 signatures against the VAT.

According to the alliance, the 12% VAT heavily burdens the Filipino people. It sanctions every Filipino, especially mothers struggling to stretch wages that fall far below a living standard.

The demand to scrap VAT gained renewed strength amid widespread public outrage over the Marcos regime’s anomalies and corruption. Billions of pesos in people’s taxes are being squandered through corruption.

Gabriela’s series of activities is part of the campaign “Abolish VAT, Hold the Corrupt Accountable,” which serves as the protests’ central theme for the upcoming March 8 International Working Women’s Day.