THE ALLIANCE of Concerned Teachers countered government claims that employees will have higher take home pay this year because of lower tax rates as mandated by the TRAIN Law.

More than 90 percent of public school teachers who are paid less than P400,000 annually will be taxed 15 percent on their income exceeding P250,000, compared to 20 percent in the past years since 2018.

The group, however, argued that it will not provide any significant gain for teachers as its computations showed that those occupying Teacher I and II positions will in fact pay higher taxes this year, while Teacher III positions will get a dismal P76 monthly gain from lowered taxes.

“Budol lamang ang pagyayabang ng pamahalaan na makakaluwag ang mga manggagawa at empleyado dahil sa pagbabawas ng bayarin sa buwis. Ang P341 na buwanang kaltas sa sweldo ng Teacher I noong 2022 ay magiging P465 ngayong 2023. Ang Teacher II ay tataas rin ng P26 ang binabayarang buwis samantalang P76 lamang ang mababawas sa buwis ng Teacher 3. Kulang pa iyan para saluhin ang itinaas ng presyo ng sibuyas,” Vladimer Quetua, the group’s chairperson, said.

“Ang tunay na makikinabang sa pagbaba ng tax rates ay walang iba kundi yaong mga mayayaman, matataas na opisyales at malalaki ang suweldo. Ang pangulo ng bansa ay makakatipid ng P9,857 sa buwis kada buwan, habang P8,630 naman ang sa pangalawang pangulo ngayong 2023,” Quetua added.

“This only shows how TRAIN Law is regressive and anti-poor to the core. It has caused severe spikes to consumer taxes, which robbed the poor of their already scant hard-earned money. On the other hand, it has failed to deliver on its promise of lowering income taxes. Unti-unti talaga tayong pinapatay ng TRAIN Law,” he said.