The Committee on Ways and Means chaired by Albay 2nd District Representative Joey Salceda discussed and approved recently the consolidation of House Bills 8301, 8324, 8375, 8376 and 8584, which seek to exempt from import duties, taxes and other fees the importation of critical medical products, essential goods, equipment and supplies to address public health emergencies.
In HB 8375, authored by Muntinlupa City Representative Rozzano Rufino Biazon, the Bureau of Customs would be mandated to formulate liberalized procedures to expedite the entry of products in the Philippines.
“Government must, at all times, be ready to respond to public health emergencies effectively and efficiently.”
“Government must, at all times, be ready to respond to public health emergencies effectively and efficiently to cushion their effects and prevent them from becoming disasters,” Biazon said.
“Government must willingly give up these revenue sources as it will redound to more lives saved,” the veteran legislator stressed in his explanatory note of the measure.
‘It is important to establish clear and permanent policy guidelines which can be referred to by local government units and concerned agencies whenever a public health emergency hits the country.”
While the other measures sought tax exemption solely amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Salceda underscored the importance of establishing clear and permanent policy guidelines which can be referred to by local government units and concerned agencies whenever a public health emergency hits the country.
The panel also approved the unnumbered substitute bill to HBs 265, 1684, 3351, 3614 and 4860, as well as House Resolution 248, providing for the conservation and protection of wildlife resources and their habitats.
When the proposal is enacted into law, all grants, bequests, endowments, donation and contribution, which may be made for the conservation and protection of wildlife resources, would be exempted from donor’s tax.