MANILA, Philippines – Communications Secretary Martin Andanar defended the new set of tax hikes that will come as the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law takes effect this year. 

In an interview on Monday, January 1, Andanar acknowledged that while the TRAIN Law will increase taxpayers take-home pay for most employees, it would also lead to pricier cars, fuel, tobacco, and sugar-sweetened beverages. (READ: How lawmakers gifted themselves with tax cuts on luxury cars) 

But Andanar told dzRH that the price increase will return to the public in the form of improved basic services and more infrastructure projects under President Rodrigo Duterte’s Build, Build, Build program. 

“Eh mas lumalaki po iyong pakinabang, mas malaki po. It outweighs – the positive – the pros outweigh vis-à-vis  the TRAIN Law pagka’t ‘pag mayroon pong malilikom na mas malaking buwis ang ating gobyerno, ito po ay mapupunta rin sa iba’t ibang investments ng ating gobyerno at iba’t ibang mga proyekto,” said Andanar. 

(There will be a lot of benefits. The positive effects outweigh the cons of the TRAIN Law because the when government collects more taxes, it will go to different investments and different government projects.)

He added more government programs mean more jobs for Filipinos, too.  

“Of course, iyong trabaho na malilikha po nito, iyon po iyong mahalaga kasi marami pong nagrereklamo na walang trabaho, etcetera… So ngayon ho, ay makakaasa ho kayo na madadagdagan talaga ang trabaho ng ating mga kababayan,” he said. 

(Of course, the jobs this will create is important because so many people complain they do not have work etcetera… So now, the public can expect that there will be more jobs available for them.)

Andanar previously told motorists to fill up their tanks before the tax hike on fuel is fully implemented. – Rappler.com