House adopts Senate version of bill exempting honoraria of poll workers from income tax

Published May 31, 2022 06:24 PM By ANNA FELICIA BAJO,GMA News

The House of Representatives on Tuesday adopted the Senate version of a proposed measure exempting from income tax the honoraria and allowances of poll workers.

The chamber adopted Senate Bill 2530 as an amendment to House Bill 9652.

With 17 affirmative votes on Monday, the Senate approved

the bill, which seeks to amend Section 32(B)(7) of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997 as amended.

Albay Representative Joey Salceda, the bill's principal author, thanked the House for adopting the Senate version.

“That way, we avoided the need for a bicameral conference committee since we are now of one and the same version,” he said in a statement.

“At just around P138.6 million in annualized revenue cost, which I think is very reasonable given the job well done, few exemptions are better deserved."

Salceda said the recent national and local elections were the fastest election counts ever, noting that much of the credit for the smooth and relatively safe conduct of the polls should go to the election workers. 

“I am hopeful that PRRD (President Rodrigo Roa Duterte) will speedily act on the matter so that we do not need to withhold taxes anymore from the compensation. I think this will be in PRRD’s desk by this week,” he said. —VBL, GMA News

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