Lawmakers slam veto of tax exemption bill for poll workers' honoraria

Several lawmakers slammed the veto of tax exemption for honoraria, allowances, and other benefits for poll workers, saying that it is “difficult and dangerous” to serve as an electoral board during past elections.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III said the Congress wants to give incentives to those electoral board members, citing their job as “difficult and dangerous.”

"That is precisely the point. Congress wants to give incentives to those serving as Electoral Board members by 1. Paying them good rates and 2. Exempting the income from taxes. Mahirap at peligro ang mag silbi sa classroom bilang electoral board,” Pimentel said in a statement.

Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Representative France Castro said the veto of the measure is a “slap in the face” of every teacher served during past elections.

“The veto of this measure is a slap in the face of every teacher across the country who served the past elections dutifully despite long hours and higher risks of getting COVID-19. With the additional risks and longer hours of poll service that they had to endure, removing the 20% tax on their honoraria and allowances is only just,” Castro said in a statement.

Castro said imposing taxes on the honoraria and allowances of election service volunteers “destroys” the intent of the Election Service Reform Act or Republic Act 10756 to compensate the hardships of persons rendering election service.

"We will continue to fight for just compensation for our election service workers.  We are studying all options to counter this highly unjust move of the President,” she said.

“We urge all teachers and election service volunteers to reach out to their district representatives and senators so that both Houses of Congress can override this unfair veto," she added.

'Unnecessary strain'

Meanwhile, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri on Sunday said that vetoing proposed bills should be avoided, noting that the President’s veto power “puts an unnecessary strain” between the legislative and executive branches of the government.

He thus spoke to Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez and Special Assistant to the President Anton Lagdameo for the immediate establishment of a Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) to have “proper coordination” between both branches.

He also stressed the need for a good Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO) Secretary “who can easily communicate with both branches of government for a harmonious discussion and passage of bills.”

“We acknowledge that the veto power is a prerogative of the President but it puts [an] unnecessary strain on the relationship between legislators and the executive. This should be avoided,” Zubiri said.

“With these two developments, I’m confident that the veto of future bills will be avoided,” he added.

This was echoed by Senator Juan Edgardo "Sonny" Angara, saying that both LEDAC and PLLO have important functions when it comes to the passage of bills.

“Ang LEDAC ang nag-uusap pana-panahon kung ano ang ipapasa at para hindi mangyari ‘yung mga ganitong klaseng pag-veto,” he said.

“Ang PLLO ang opisina na kumakausap sa Kongreso at sa Office of the President. Ibig sabihin, nabibigay na 'yung opinyon ng Ehekutibo sa Lehislatura para pakinggan nila bago tapusin ang mga debate para sa mga panukalang batas,” he added.

(LEDAC talks about what bills will be passed so that these kinds of vetoes don't happen. Meanwhile, PLLO is the office that talks to Congress and the Office of the President. It gives the executive's opinion to the legislature to be heard out before concluding the debates for the bills.)

President Bongbong Marcos vetoed House Bill No. 9652 and Senate Bill No. 2520 or “An Act Exempting from Income Taxation the Honoraria, Allowances, and other Financial Benefits of Persons Rendering Service during an Election Period.

In his veto message, Marcos said that “the measure runs counter to the objective of the government’s Comprehensive Tax Reform Program to correct the inequity in the country’s tax system and negate the progressivity of the reforms introduced under RA 10963 or the TRAIN law.”

“Moreover, the studies of pertinent government agencies on the revenue loss is too substantial an impact to be foregone,” the President said. —LBG, GMA News