February 21, 2015
The Visayan Daily Star by Carla Gomez | http://goo.gl/JINymM
The Sugar Regulatory Administration and the Sugar Alliance of the Philippines have been unable to discuss concerns over the 1 percent withholding tax on raw sugar on withdrawal from mills that has triggered confusion in the industry, Enrique Rojas, president of the National Federation of Sugarcane Planters, said yesterday.
A meeting with Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima to tackle BIR Revenue Regulation Number 11-2014 that they hoped to take place this week did not push through.
“The SRA and the Sugar Alliance have been persistently seeking a meeting with Finance Sec. Cesar Purisima but, unfortunately, we have not been able to get a chance to discuss this latest BIR order with him.
“We are still continuously working on getting an appointment with him. Hopefully, he can accommodate us in his schedule next week,” Rojas said.
At a press conference Thursday, agrarian reform beneficiaries also called for a halt to the BIR imposition of the 1 percent tax.
James Cabata, an agrarian reform beneficiary from Himamaylan, cited Article 60 of Republic Act 9520, or Philippine Cooperative Code of 2008, that states registered cooperatives under this Code that 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.
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