Workers don’t buy GMA’s hard sell of “morally correct” eVAT

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

The Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL) takes strong exception to the President's claim that imposing additional tax burdens on ordinary consumers to power the country's economic recovery is "morally and economically" correct. Such callous statement from someone whose moral authority, much more legal authority to govern has not been fully established as her victory in the 2004 elections remain suspect because of her untruthful statement and actions. GMA has completely lost the trust of the workers, and is the last person workers would expect a claim to moral righteousness from. Unfortunately, her government is insistent on imposing the expanded VAT law should the Supreme Court affirm its constitutionality.

Workers don't believe the eVAT will go to funding necessary infrastructure and expenditures for social services. If the annual budget is any basis, it will only be used for paying maturing loan obligations so GMA can keep on borrowing, putting Filipinos deeper into debt before her term expires. GMA must go because as long as she hold onto power, she will not care about the plight of workers. In fact she seems deaf to reports that with the eVAT implementation, LPG and unleaded gas will go up higher among fuel products – and this will impact worst on the budget of poor ordinary working citizens.

Labor's call for a nationwide, across-the-board, legislated wage increase was mocked and disregarded when GMA still coursed the pay hike through the incompetent wage boards. She has not responded to the plight of hundreds of labor leaders who have been harassed, abducted and killed. Our unions have been busted, our CBAs have been violated. And yet here we have an embattled President using all the dirtiest tricks in the book to prevent the impeachment process, and still has the temerity to ask citizens to support her administration by paying even more taxes?

Our simple and loud reply: Resign now, and then we'll talk to the new government about taxes!


Danny Edralin
Chairperson
Alliance of Progressive Labor