CongressWatch Report

CONGRESSWATCH NO. 198 – HB 4157: CITIRA Bill

The House of Representatives approved its version of TRAIN-2, now known as CITIRA – or the “Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Rationalization Act” bill – on Friday, Sept. 13. HB 4157, spearheaded by House Ways and Means Chairman Joey Salceda.

CONGRESSWATCH NO. 197 – RA 11337: Innovative Startup Act

On April 26, 2019, President Duterte signed into law Republic Act No. 11337, also known as the “Innovative Startup Act”, a copy of which was released last July 18th to the public. The new law provides incentives and removes identified constraints that discourage startups.

CONGRESSWATCH NO. 196 – “Security of Tenure” Bill

On 22 May 2019, the Senate approved on third and final reading Senate Bill No. 1826, with amendments. The proposal, known as the “Security of Tenure”, continues to recognize contractualization arrangements but has tightened the definition of labor-only contracting (LOC) and clarified ambiguities in existing laws.

CONGRESSWATCH NO.195 -TRABAHO bill, House’s version of TRAIN 2

The House Committee on Ways and Means sent its TRAIN 2 bill to the plenary on August 9, 2018. Chairman Dakila Cua named House Bill No. 8083 the TRABAHO Bill, for Tax Reform for Attracting Better and Higher Quality Opportunities.

TRAIN, or Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion, is the Duterte administration’s bid for comprehensive tax reform. TRAIN 1, which lowered most personal income taxes while raising some excise taxes, was signed into law on December 2017. TRAIN 2 aims to “rationalize” corporate incentives while lowering corporate income tax rates.

CONGRESSWATCH NO.194 -DOING BUSINESS REFORMS IN THE PHILIPPINES

On May 28, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act 11032, or the Ease of Doing Business (EODB) and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018. The law amends the Anti Red-Tape Act (ARTA) in 2007, aimed at efficient turnaround of the delivery of government services and the prevention of graft and corruption.