Batangas Rep. Leandro Legarda Leviste renewed his call for Congress to approve proposed tax cuts, including lowering VAT on goods and suspending VAT on fuel amid the ongoing fuel crisis linked to tensions in the Middle East.
He said Congress has the authority to act independently and criticized Executive Secretary Ralph Recto for allegedly blocking the proposals.
Leviste urged the House to put the VAT reduction bills to a vote, saying the executive’s position should not constrain lawmakers.
Recto, however, dismissed the claim and told Leviste to focus on his duties as a legislator, stressing that no single official can block Congress from passing laws.
The proposal remains under discussion as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. weighs revenue concerns and targeted aid measures for affected sectors.
Source: PhilNews24 | April 16, 2026
LEVISTE: CONGRESS INDEPENDENT FROM EXECUTIVE, SHOULD PASS TAX CUTS
Latest from Politics
Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez was arrested and placed under police custody at a hospital after
Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the proposed Department of Education (DepEd) budget for 2027 appears lower
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged cities and municipalities nationwide to replicate Marikina’s solid waste management system
Bacolod City on Monday launched the BCD Hotline, a centralized call center aimed at quickly addressing
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Monday that it had already exercised its jurisdiction over Sen.