February 20, 2015
The Visayan Daily Star | http://goo.gl/fhKVOy
Members of the Crusade and Alliance of Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Negros Occidental yesterday called for the stoppage and scrapping of Bureau of Internal Revenue Regulation Number 11-2014, that imposes 1 percent tax on sugar and molasses.
At a press conference in Bacolod City yesterday, James Cabata, an agrarian reform beneficiary in Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental, said that he and over 400 ARBs in their city, are against the 1 percent tax.
Cabata cited Article 60 of Republic Act 9520 or Philippine Cooperative Code of 2008, that states “Duly registered cooperatives under this Code which do not transact any business with non-members or the general public shall not be subject to any taxes and fees imposed under the internal revenue laws and other tax laws. Cooperatives not falling under this article shall be governed by the succeeding section.”
Nestor Braza, one of 69 farmers of Hacienda Nacab Agrarian Reform Cooperative in Talisay City, also in the province, said the tax is hurting small cooperatives like them.
Aside from being a new cooperative with a capital that is not that much, the tax can reduce their little earnings, Braza said.
Guillermo Flores, one of 45 members of Hacienda Trinidad Workers Multi-Purpose Cooperative in La Castellana town in Negros Occidental said 1 percent tax is big when accumulated. The BIR could get as much as P4,000 for 20 sacks of sugar, he said.
The Revenue Regulation Number 11-2014 took effect January 1, 2015, records show.