Read and Share: Bam Aquino pushes for bill letting taxpayers give 5% of taxes to CHR

Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV on Thursday pushed for the approval of his bill that would allow taxpayers to allocate five percent of their taxes to the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).

Aquino said his Senate Bill No. 699 or the People’s Fund Bill gives taxpayers a chance to decide to which agency a portion of their taxes will go.

Under this bill, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) shall establish the mechanism that would enable individual taxpayers to select beneficiaries upon filing of their annual income tax returns.

"We want Filipinos to get involved in governance and the budget process. The People's Fund Bill gives them the chance to do that," said Sen. Bam, referring to Senate Bill No. 699 that he filed last July 20, 2016.

"Galing sa pinaghirapan ng taumbayan ang ginagamit na pondo ng pamahalaan kaya nararapat lang natin silang konsultahin kung paano ito gagamitin," added Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam made the pronouncement after netizens started the "#GiveMyTaxToCHR" campaign after the House gave the CHR a 1,000-peso budget for 2018. Netizens have demanded that their tax be given to the CHR instead to the PNP's Oplan Tokhang, which was handed a P900-million budget for 2018.

The bill creates mechanisms for an individual taxpayer to allocate five percent of his or her income tax for any of the following: (1) an accredited charity or civil society organization; (2) a priority national or local government project; or (3) a legitimate political party.

“Kapag ito’y naisabatas, may kapangyarihan na ang taxpayer na piliin kung saan pupunta ang porsyento ng perang ito. Ginagawa na ito sa ibang mga bansa at panahon nang gawin ito sa Pilipinas,” Aquino said.


Source: GMAnetwork |  Senate