Philippines: Tobacco Funds for Ilocos Set for Release

Source from:  Manila Bulletin 01/19/2015

President Aquino has given the "green light: for the release of the much-awaited tobacco excise tax shares for the tobacco-producing provinces in the early part of this year, Ilocos Sur 2nd District Representative Eric D. Singson revealed yesterday.

Speaking with the President at Malacañang just recently, Singson said the assurance has been given him that the share in the tobacco excise tax will be released in the early period of this year.

"When I talked with President Aquino about the long overdue release of the tobacco fund, the President called Secretary Florencio Abad of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to immediately work on the release of tobacco excise tax share for the Ilocos provinces," he said.

However, he disclosed that the "pass due" excise tax shares for the 2012 under Republic Act (RA) 8240 or the Burley and Native tobacco excise tax law and the RA 7171 Virginia tobacco fund are the first to expect its release."

"The tobacco fund expected to release first is the 'pass due shares- for the tobacco producing provinces on 2012 in which almost all the recipient-local government units (LGUs), provinces and congressional districts has not yet receive their shares in that period," he said.

"The immediate giving of the long-overdue tobacco funds both from RA 7171 and RA 8240 by the national government is very necessary considering that the farmers from the tobacco -producing provinces are severely suffered from the effect of typhoon Mario last year," he added. Enditem