TABUK CITY, Kalinga – The Tabuk City Cooperative Development Council (TCCDC) invited Congressman Allen Jesse Mangaoang to their forum on the topic “Cooperative Stand on Tax Exemption” at the Golden Berries yesterday afternoon. The purpose was to get his commitment for the national movement among cooperatives to have sections in House Bill 231 which strikes out the tax exemption privileges of cooperatives contained in RA 9520. In his message, Congressman Mangaoang vowed to exert all efforts to argue for the position of the cooperatives in the committee hearings saying that moment bills reach the plenary, their fate are already foregone.
He, however, asked the TCCDC to have its brightest accountant prepare the best arguments and likewise the needed data so that he will speak with authority and be convincing to the members of the Committee on Cooperatives. He explained that although not a member of the committee and cannot vote, he is free to speak during committee hearings. He informed that the tax reform bills are listed by President Rodrigo Duterte as priority because the resultant income will enable the government to among others increase the salaries of soldiers and teachers and to construct roads and irrigations systems. He proposed that if worse comes to worse, the cooperatives should be ready to haggle with those who are pushing for the passage of the bill so that at least, cooperatives will be imposed lower taxes than corporations.
Mangaoang vowed that he will vote against the bill in the plenary but said that that would be pointless if the committee is already approved at the committee level. He urged that not only will be the TCCDC come up with the comparative study but likewise submit all their resolutions on the matter as well as get the indorsements of the local legislative bodies for such resolutions.
The TCCDC formed a technical working group to prepare all the necessary documents to be submitted to the congressman. Lawyers in the province will be tapped to help craft the position paper of the cooperatives in the province.
By Darwin S. Serion
