EVAT v. Glo

As I See It : EVAT could hasten GMA's fall

Neal Cruz opinion@inquirer.com.ph
Inquirer News Service

THE SUPREME Court decision upholding the constitutionality of the expanded value added tax law may be a blessing in disguise for the Filipino people, two-thirds of whom, according to opinion surveys, want Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo out. The EVAT, when implemented, will bring untold hardships to the people, and it could hasten the ouster of GMA. The increase in the prices of commodities, fuel and electricity will surely further infuriate a people already angry over the shameless murder of the impeachment case by the pro-administration House justice committee. The people might just go back to the streets and demand GMA's resignation or forcible ouster. Even those who did not join the street protests before will join this time, for there is nothing more left for them to do but to protest. The crowds will get bigger and bigger, and angrier, until they finally chase GMA out of Malacañang as they did President Estrada.

Some administration legislators already see this gathering storm and they are proposing the suspension of the EVAT, fearing that the explosion of public anger would bring down the administration. Rep. Joey Salceda and Sen. Mar Roxas have filed measures to exempt at least fuel and electricity from EVAT coverage. Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez goes farther: "Why not just repeal the EVAT law?"

Indeed, raising taxes at a time when the price of oil is rising to unprecedented levels is foolhardy and reckless, even suicidal. And stupid, if you ask me. More sensible governments subsidize oil expenses to lighten the burden on their people. The Arroyo administration is doing the opposite, stacking instead the shoulders of an already overburdened people with more taxes-because GMA's administration desperately needs additional taxes in the face of a big budget deficit and an enormous debt burden. So it is loathe to suspend even part of the EVAT.

But as the saying goes, "You cannot squeeze blood out of a turnip." You cannot squeeze more taxes out of a people who have nothing more to give. Many Filipinos eat only once or twice a day. Too many have no jobs and no roofs over their heads. At present, our power rates are the highest in Asia next to Japan which has a very high standard of living.

When the EVAT is implemented, we may yet top Japan's power rates. And when the prices of fuel and power rise, transportation fares will also rise, and so will the prices of all products.

The peace and order situation will worsen, the crime rate will soar. What is happening now in hurricane-ravaged New Orleans, where looters are shooting policemen and soldiers, can happen here. If a family has nothing to eat, what are they to do? Hunger makes people desperate and reckless. All it needs for widespread looting to happen is for one person to start it. We already had examples of this in the past. It is likely to happen again.

But it is the fate of many leaders not to see what is coming until it is too late. Blinded by power, isolated from reality, surrounded by sycophants, leaders are often overconfident, believing that they are smarter than the others who fell before them. President Erap (Estrada) himself related that he was confident he could not be overthrown, until he found an angry mob knocking at the gates of Malacañang, and he had to leave in a hurry.

Marcos, a very powerful dictator for 20 years, was also confident his generals would protect him. They couldn't-even from unarmed, non-violent civilians.

GMA is confident that the worst is over for her. The impeachment case is in the process of being killed and buried. The street protests are not as big as before. The opposition is being run over on the railroad by the House "express train."

But that is the lull before the storm. A raging storm is coming and its furious gales could blow GMA away. The prudent way is to leave before the storm hits, like the millions in New Orleans, Louisiana, Mississippi who evacuated their homes before Hurricane Katrina hit. They were spared the sufferings of those who stubbornly stayed behind. Will GMA be sensible and leave early? Or will she be foolish and overconfident, and choose to stay put and bear the fury of the storm that is surely coming?

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GMA is beginning to sound like a broken record. All her speeches have the same theme: Let us unite.

Unfortunately, she doesn't know the meaning of "unite." For her, it means "Support me," "get behind me," "don't expose my wrongdoings," "forget my past sins," "don't rock the boat."

But "unite" means everybody getting together and working together, not "uniting around me." She also has to give something to the people; it shouldn't be that only the people are giving to her.

For the taxes and cooperation of the people, she should give them something in return, like services, jobs, affordable necessities but, most of all, truth, honesty, justice, sincerity and transparency.

But what do the people get from her? Lies, cheating, injustice, insincerity.

Why will the people pay more taxes when they see their taxes being used to bribe mercenaries, congressmen and lying witnesses? Before she asks the people to pay more, GMA should first stop the pork barrel. She must have the moral authority to demand a clean government. How can she truthfully say that she is fighting corruption when the pork barrel is a most corrupt system where hundreds of thousands of pesos are stolen by people's "representatives"? The pork barrel should be the first thing that a president trying to save funds should cut. But GMA is afraid to scrap it because she would have no carrot to entice congressmen not to sign the impeachment complaint. Come on, you cannot make the people believe that those signature withdrawals are not in exchange for very generous considerations.