Isko Moreno vows more benefits to economic, industrial workers

Presidential candidate and Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno has vowed to provide additional benefits, particularly in healthcare, to workers in economic and industrial zones should he win the elections.

“What additional benefits they can get from the national government in terms of tax share or from the taxes that generated from the area. So, I will look into it. In fact, one of the requests is for healthcare,” Moreno was quoted in a statement issued Thursday. 

Moreno held a press conference at the Pampanga Provincial Capitol on Wednesday, where he heard the requests of workers in economic zones.

Under Republic Act 7196 as amended, the national government receives 3% of the special tax paid by ecozone enterprises while 2% goes to the local government unit where the enterprise is located.

Moreno said he will look into how much from the 3% may be returned to workers.

“Papag-aralan namin kung papaano ko babawasan, at actually mababawasan, but to focus on a particular x percent from the 3 percent na nakukuha ng national government na maibalik sa mga workers inside Clark, for example,” he said.

(We will look into how we can decrease, actually, it can be decreased, but to focus on a particular x percent from the 3 percent that is received by the national government can be returned to workers inside Clark, for example.)

The Manila mayor also stressed that this will be beneficial for workers nationwide.

“Kapag ginawa ko yon sa Pampanga, mangyayari rin yon sa Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Cagayan, sa Bataan at saan mang area na merong ganitong klaseng economic zones,” he said.

(If I do this in Pampanga, this can be done in Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Cagayan, Bataan, and areas that have these kinds of economic zones.) — Joahna Lei Casilao/RSJ, GMA News