AnaKalusugan Party-list Rep. Ray T. Reyes slammed the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) for not paying its franchise tax for 12 years and instead passing on to consumers the 3 percent tax it owes to the government.
“Hindi makatarungan na sa loob ng labindalawang taon hindi nagbayad ng franchise tax ang NGCP at pinasa pa ang responsibilidad na ito sa mga consumers,” Reyes said.
The lawmaker bemoaned the fact that the NGCP looks perfectly content in merely paying penalties and lacks the urgency to fulfill their franchise obligations.
“This is a deplorable practice, and one that warrants a thorough review of the franchise of the NGCP,” he said.
Reyes noted that based on the financial statement sent by NGCP to the SEC, NGCP is more than capable of paying its franchise tax yet still chose to pass on the responsibility to consumers.
“Nakakabahala. Given a net income of more than Php20 billion annually since 2011, kayang-kayang bayaran ng NGCP ang kanilang franchise tax pero mas pinili pa rin nila na ipasa ito sa mga consumers,” he said.
“I am appalled, and we should be deeply concerned as this is but part of a long list of questionable practices by the NGCP,” he added.
The lawmaker bemoaned the fact that the NGCP looks perfectly content in merely paying penalties and lacks the urgency to fulfill their franchise obligations.
“Nakakalungkot dahil kahit maraming penalties na ipinapataw sa kanila, patuloy na kumikita ang NGCP, kaya naman parang mas gusto na lang nito na magbayad ng penalties kesa kumpletuhin ang mga ipinangakong proyekto. Kailangan mapanagot ang ganitong mapang-abusong gawain,” he said.
He also cited NGCP’s financial data which shows how NGCP is more focused on paying out dividends to its shareholders than completing projects for consumers.
“Noong taong 2011, 2013, at 2014 mas mataas pa ang dividend payout ng NGCP kesa sa kanilang net income,” said the solon.
“Kung ganito ang pamamalakad sa NGCP, hindi na po kataka-taka kung bakit ang daming aberya at tila wala silang nakukumpletong mga proyekto,” he added.
