September 30, 2008 4:38am
MANILA, Philippines - Criticizing a new proposed tax on text messaging, a militant consumers' group reminded President Gloria Arroyo Monday of her “vow" to bring down its cost.
TxtPower convener Kim Gargar said the bid to tax text messaging is a reversal of Arroyo's State of the Nation Address (SONA) promise of lower text rates.
"Sa totoo lang para siyang kabaligtaran sa SONA ni Gloria (In truth, that text tax directly contrasts with Gloria's SONA)," he said in an interview on dzBB radio.
He also doubted claims the new tax would go to social services, saying the government made a similar promise when it insisted on collecting a 12% value-added tax.
"Di nararamdaman ang social service na sinabi nila. Ang VAT napatungan pa ng tax (We have yet to feel the effects of social services funded by VAT. And now they want to place a tax on top of the VAT)," he said.
But Malacañang defended the proposed tax, saying it would bring in much needed income.
Radio dzBB's Rowena Salvacion reported this was the position taken by finance secretary Margarito Teves, who said the government will welcome any source of added income for its projects. - GMANews.TV
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