Twin fronts to lower prices of goods and electricity

The advocacy for consumer empow-erment continues and, in this col-umn, I will discuss two important updates on our efforts to promote consumer welfare.

Firstly, as President of Laban Konsyumer Inc. (LKI), I wrote to Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, Chair of the Senate committee on trade, and entrepreneurship; Congressman John Rey Tiangco, Chair of House committee on trade and industry; and Congressman Joey Salceda of the House ways and means committee on the matter of indirect taxes like safeguard duty, dumping duty and import duties. This move was done in order to further protect the consumers during the pandemic, and prevent indirect taxes from further burdening them during a time where they may find it difficult to make ends meet.

I said that Laban Konsyumer Inc. is submitting the proposal that will stop passing on to the consumers the indirect taxes imposed on certain business such as safeguard and dumping duties and higher duties on imported cement, ceramic tiles, vehicles rice and meat products.