(Target sa CREATE MORE bill) POWER SUBSIDY SA INVESTORS

POWER SUBSIDY. Department of Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella delivers his speech at the Build Better More Infrastructure Forum in New Clark City, Capas, Tarlac on Friday (July 12, 2024). He briefed the media on programs to improve the power sector. (PNA photo by Kris M. Crismundo)

ISINUSULONG ng pamahalaan ang karagdagang subsidies sa mga investor upang maakit ang mas maraming foreign direct investments (FDIs) sa bansa, ayon kay Department of Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella.

Sinabi ni Fuentebella na kinokonsidera ng mga economic manager ang polisiya sa Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy (CREATE MORE) bill.

“We’re asking the economic managers to look into where these resources will come from if we decide to have more subsidies to entice foreign direct investments,” sabi ni Fuentebella sa Build Better More Infrastructure Forum sa New Clark City noong Biyernes.

Ang CREATE MORE ay isa sa priority bills ng administrasyong Marcos, na naglalayong bawasan ang income tax mula 25 sa 20 percent at padaliin ang proseso para sa  tax refund.

Sinabi ni Special Assistant to the President for Investments and Economic Affairs Secretary Frederick Go na ang bill ay makatutulong na makaakit ng mas maraming FDIs at makalikha ng mga trabaho para sa mga Pilipino.

Sa Power Summit 2024 noong Hunyo, sinabi ni Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry chair George Barcelon na isa sa mga balakid sa paghikayat ng mas maraming FDIs ay ang mas mataas na electricity rate sa bansa kumpara sa Southeast Asian neighbors nito.

Ang power rate ng Pilipinas noong 2023 ay may average na USD0.19 per kilowatt hour, mas mataas sa  Thailand na may USD0.125 per kWh;  Indonesia, USD0.089 per kWh;  Vietnam, USD0.076 per kWh at Malaysia na may USD0.047 per kWh.

Pagdating sa FDIs, ang mga bansa na may mas mababang power rates ay nakaakit ng mas maraming investments kumpara sa Pilipinas.

Noong 2022, ang Indonesia ay nakakuha ng USD24.7 billion na FDIs; Vietnam, USD17.9 billion; Malaysia, USD14.73 billion; at Thailand. USD11.23 billion, kumpara sa  USD9.37 billion ng Pilipinas.

“One can always argue on the subsidy provided by the governments of these countries but we must also keep in mind that these subsidies are a form of investment to bring in investors and accelerate the growth of their economies. And they have begun achieving their goals,” ani Barcelon.

“A change in mindset where we consider subsidy as investment and not as a cost with no payback [is needed],” dagdag pa niya.

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