Marcos spox Rodriguez: No discussions on additional taxes

There are no discussions in the incoming administration of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on additional taxes as proposed by the Department of Finance, the president-elect's spokesman said on Friday night.

In an interview on Super Radyo dzBB, Atty. Vic Rodriguez said Marcos even ordered a study on a possible tax relief for small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Wala kaming napaguusapan na ganyan. In fact, ang pinapatignan ni President-elect Bongbong how we can extend some sort of tax relief especially sa MSMEs na tinamaan ng COVID-19," Rodriguez said.

The Department of Finance on Wednesday said that the incoming administrations would need to raise P249 billion additional revenues in the next 10 years to pay the historic P3.2 trillion additional debt incurred following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Marcos' choice for finance secretary, outgoing Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno, has said that he would look into proposals to implement additional taxes, saying he would first focus on debt sustainability when the new administration takes over.

Asked how Marcos would respond if the economic team proposed additional tax measures, Rodriguez said, "Unang una walang napag-uusapang ganyan."

"Pangalawa, that's highly speculative... Ever since we do not respond to speculation," Rodriguez said.

As regards what's left of the national budget in the remaining six months of 2022 after Marcos takes over on June 30, Rodriguez said, "If you want to do something with the existing budget, it will entail legislation."

"So we will follow the law and will try to gather as much funds as we could para naman itong pag-upo ni President-elect Bongbong for the coming six months... ay meron namang sapat na pondo na magagamit patungkol sa mga programa," Rodriguez said. 

Albay Representative Joey Salceda has said that a measure would be pushed to give Marcos the authority to make adjustments in the national budget which he would inherit for the rest of 2022.

"Baka magkaroon po tayo ng Bayanihan pero lalabas po Bayan Bangon Muli Act which will give the president special powers, especially 'yung budget po na inherit niya for the rest of the year is already set in stone," Salceda said.

"So we'll give greater flexibility in utilizing or basically kung ano pa 'yung natitira diyan to make adjustments or reenactments," he added.

Economic team

Rodriguez said that Marcos’ economic team have not in any way connected or helped them during the campaign period, noting that they “ended playing the game of politics the moment the precincts closed last May 9 polls.”

“To put things in proper perspective the names of the nominees we have announced ay hindi namin kasama sa kampanya just to set the record straight the composition of president elect Bongbong Marcos economic team they have not in any way connected with us nor have in any way participated nor help us in our campaign,” he said.

“They have zero participation doon sa kampanya. So dito pa lang makikita yung transition we ended playing the game of politics the moment the precinct closed last May 9,” he added.

He then said that the cabinet members appointed must be ready to serve the country and respect the laws.

“Unang una lagi kong sinasabi kinakailangan yung ready to serve the flag yung may pagmamahal sa bansa. Yung may respeto, pagkilala sa ating saligang batas at higit sa lahat handa magsakripisyo and then all good qualities of other servant yung competence and qualification kasunod na lamang yun,” Rodriguez said.

“Ang importante ay may pagmamahal sa bansa dahil kahit anong galing mo kung wala kang pagmamahal sa bansa, hindi mo ginagalang ang Saligang Batas...sa tingin ko ay doon palang ay hindi compatible ideologically,” he added.

Rodriguez said they should give Marcos Jr. enough time to form his own administration.

“Yung bagay na paghahanap ng tamang tao sa tamang pwesto is a tedious process at nagging maingat din si president-elect Bongbong. Hindi natin siya pwedeng madaliin let’s give him enough space to build and form his own administration,” he added. —Richa Noriega/NB, GMA News