If you recently purchased a brand-new ride to avoid being hit by the looming increase in automotive taxes, good for you. If it pushes all the way through, you may have just saved yourself a s***load of money depending on the car you bought.
Unfortunately, the adjustments (if ever) are still going to sting. The new tax reform package (which was just approved by the House Committee on Ways and Means) includes a proposed increase in taxes for fuel products, namely diesel, regular gasoline, leaded premium gasoline, lubricating oils, and both petroleum and non-petroleum based additives.
If passed, the package will roll out the increase in three phases between 2018 and 2020. We'll lay out a summary for you below:
Diesel fuel oil (per liter)
Current – P0.00
2018 – P3.00
2019 – P5.00
2020 – P6.00
Regular gasoline (per liter)
Current – P4.35
2018 – P7.00
2019 – P9.00
2020 – P10.00
Leaded premium gasoline (per liter)
Current – P5.35
2018 – P7.00
2019 – P9.00
2020 – P10.00
Lubricating oils, petroleum and non-petroleum based additives (per liter)
Current – 4.50
2018 – P7.00
2019 – P9.50
2020 – P10.00
In three years, that's a P6 increase per liter for diesel, P5.65 for regular gasoline, P4.65 for premium, and P5.50 for lubricants and additives. Come to think of it, this is going to hit everyone—car or no car.
We're already beginning to feel the effects of all this uncertainty, with Jaguar Land Rover Philippines recently announcing it will be closing its doors due to the tax increase. Here's to hoping that the government can address our public transportation woes before all this comes into effect, if ever.
