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MANILA.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo approved yesterday a one-percent
reduction in tariff rates for imported crude oil to cushion
the impact of soaring oil prices in the world market.
The
Chief Executive made the announcement during a surprise press
conference she called yesterday afternoon at the Kalayaan
Briefing Room in Malacanang immediately after she convened
her economic managers at the National Economic and Development
Authority (NEDA)-Cabinet Group meeting.
She
said the mechanics of the tariff rates discount would be stipulated
in an Executive Order that she had already signed and scheduled
to be released today.
The
government has been exacting three-percent tariff on all imported
crude oil. But due to the alarming situation and the possible
domino effect of the continued oil price increases in the
world market to the prices of basic commodities, the President
reduced the tariff to two percent from three percent.
To
mitigate the impact of escalating prices of crude oil in the
world market, "iniatas natin sa Gabinete na agad ipatupad
ang mga kagyat na tulong sa masa. Una, ibababa natin ang taripa
sa langis at mga produktong petrolyo," the President
said in her opening statement.
In
the same statement, the President urged the oil companies
to use the one percent tariff discount to lower the price
of diesel in the country. The prices of unleaded and premium
gasoline shall remain at present levels.
Last
week, world oil prices reached the highest level of 100 dollars
per barrel, prompting the President to convene her economic
managers to address the issue, and pursue an energy summit
at the end of the month.
Finance
Secretary Margarito Teves explained that the EO would provide
safety nets and flexibility on how long the tariff duty discount
would stand.
Teves
said the government has decided to give up the projected P11
billion windfall in revenue collection from oil imports in
order to help Juan dela Cruz from the impact of oil price
increases.
The
President rejected suggestions to suspend the 12 percent expanded
value added tax (EVAT) on fuel products to avoid a bloated
budget.
"Gagamitin
natin ngayon ang patuloy na lumalagong kita ng gobyerno upang
bigyan-tulong ang mga pinakamahirap na tatamaan ng pagtaas
ng presyo ng langis at iba pang bilihin," the President
said.
And
to further help the people, the President directed the Department
of Agriculture (DA) to fast track and expand the programs
on food production such as Bagsakan sa Barangay and Tindahan
Natin that sell cheap rice, vegetables and meat, as well as
the construction of irrigation systems, farm-to-market roads,
and post-harvest facilities.
She
also directed the Energy Regulation Commission (ERC) to widen
the discount on electricity especially to the poor residential
consumers of Manila Electric Company (Meralco).
The
President also ordered the Department of Public Works and
Highways (DPWH) to continue hiring out-of-school-youth under
the "Oyster" Program to maintain the cleanliness
of national and major roads in the metropolis and provinces.
The
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)
is also tasked by the President to expand its ongoing skilled
and job-related vocational courses especially on carpentry,
butchering, pottery, welding, and electronic courses on business
process outsourcing such as call center and medical transcription.
She
also instructed Presidential Management Staff (PMS) Director
General Cerge Remonde to increase the micro-finance and livelihood
assistance programs to all small and medium entrepreneurs.
The
Department of Health (DOH) has also been tasked to open more
Botika ng Barangay and Botika ng Bayan outlets in the provinces
and to continue providing PhilHealth cards to indigents families.
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