12% VAT from LPG enough for a meal

BAGUIO CITY — According to the data of the Center for Women Resources (CWR), 12% the Valued Added Tax (VAT) on the price of the Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) is already enough for one meal for a family.

The original price of an 11 kilogram LPG tank is P468.16. It is being sold for P532.00 because of the 12% VAT which is P63.84. CWR said with this amount, a family can already buy a kilo of rice, sardines and coffee.

CWR added that a mother can save much once the VAT is scrapped. According to the price chart of CWR as part of their market watch, a family’s expenses for the 10 basic commodities will be lessened by less than a hundred pesos.

For instance, the prices of ten basic commodities are P42.13for a kilo of rice supposed to be P37.07 without VAT, P11.85 for a sardines supposed to be P10.43, nooddles for P6.27 instead of P5.52, refined dugar for 36.08 instead of P31.75, 80 grams of powdered milk for P22.33 instead of P19.65, 25 kg coffee for 15.91 instead of 14.00, cooking oil for 20.00 instead of 17.60, a laundry bar for P20.20 instead of P17.78, a kilo of galunggong for P95.00 instead of P83.60, and the LPG for P532.00 instead of P468.16.

The total for the said ten basic commodities is 801.77, but without the 12% additional, it should be P705.56, the chart stated.

The CWR said that instead of considering the impact of economic crisis on the poor households, the prices still continue to rise. They added that once the VAT is scrapped, it will be a great help for the poor families especially for mothers who are the first to cope with the rising prices. # Aldwin Quitasol