Villar projects ‘rough sailing’ for second TRAIN

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Senate Committee on Agriculture chair, Senator Cynthia Villar, is calling for a senate hearing on sugar prices, following numerous complaints from food processors regarding high prices.

According to Villar, the hearing will be conducted in aid of legislation in order to determine what caused a sudden price increase and to find a solution.

Villar pointed out, she does not want to give an opinion without hearing from sugar industry stakeholders.

Aside from the sugar industry, Villar also revealed the proposed second package of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law will meet stiff opposition in the Senate.

She said it would be difficult to pass due to the effects of the present TRAIN Law, which were unexpected and coincided with fuel price hikes.

Villar added, a majority of senators have shared sentiment on amending investment incentives instead of a second TRAIN package./DGB, WDJ