Senator Alan Peter Cayetano voiced support for Senator Risa Hontiveros’ push to ban Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) but proposed an alternative approach regarding their tax regulations.
“Would it be a remedy to put an absurd amount of tax amending the tax law that Senator Risa said, but let’s say putting a 10,000 percent tax on POGOs which will effectively ban it?” Cayetano said as the Senate debated on the “CREATE MORE” bill recently.
“Putting a 10,000 percent tax on POGOs which will effectively ban it.”
Hontiveros, while discussing the bill introduced by Senator Win Gatchalian, proposed an amendment to Section 28 to address POGO taxation.
The veteran legislator’s amendment suggests adding a clause to repeal the existing tax regulations on POGOs, which the bill currently addresses.
Following this proposal, the seasoned lawmaker and long-time advocate against all forms of gambling reiterated his position that merely repealing the tax would not suffice to ban POGOs.
“If we repeal it, we’re not banning POGOs, we’re actually taking out the tax from the POGOs.”
“If we repeal it, we’re not banning POGOs, we’re actually taking out the tax from the POGOs,” the senator said.
In his interpellation, Cayetano also raised questions about the broader implications of repealing taxes and the potential effects of imposing very high tax rates on offshore activities.
“There’s no argument with the intent and I’d like to thank Senator Risa kasi nga I think it’s timely,” he said.
“Let’s find a final solution [to this] and put it into the law,” Cayetano concluded.
