Thus, said senatorial candidate Martin G. Romualdez as he reiterated his appeal to President Aquino to sign the bill that exempts persons with disabilities (PWDs) from the 12 percent value-added tax (VAT) on certain goods and services.
“The proposed law grants 20 percent discount to PWDs for certain goods and services and exemption from VAT. My bill will put PWDs on equal footing with senior citizens who are already exempt from VAT on top of their 20 percent discount,” Romualdez pointed out during the Balitaan media forum organized by the Capampangan in Media, Inc. (CAMI) in cooperation with the Clark Development Corp. (CDC) at the Bale Balita here on Friday.
The three-term congressman from Leyte issued the statement as PWD groups urged the leadership of both the Senate and the House of Representatives to immediately transmit the bill to Malacañang.
Authored by Romualdez in Congress and in the Senate by Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, the bill seeks to amend Section 32 of Republic Act 7277, otherwise known as the Magna Carta for Persons with Disability as amended by RA 9442.
PWD groups claim that there are almost 10 million PWDs in the country but the Philippine Statistics Authority puts the number at less than 1.5 million.
“PWDs are a neglected and vulnerable sector of our society,” Romualdez, whose mother is a Kapampangan, said.
“They usually suffer from various ailments and need medicines on a regular basis. Thus, exempting them from VAT will mean a lot to them and demonstrate our malasakit (concern) for them,” Romualdez added.
