SENATOR Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday urged  the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Commission on Elections to suspend the implementation of a higher withholding tax on the compensation of teachers doing poll duties.

Hontiveros said that teachers tapped for election duties will be imposed a higher withholding tax — 20 percent from 5 percent in 2019.

“I ask that the BIR and the Comelec  defer the collection of the 20% tax. Gaya ng karamihan ng ating mga kababayan, nagsisimula pa lang ang ating mga gurong bumangon mula sa dagok ng pandemya. Kaya napaka-wrong timing talaga at sobrang lupit ng tax increase na ito,” she said.

Under Comelec Resolution No. 10727, the pay rates of teachers who will serve in the May 9polls are P7,000 for the chairman of the electoral board in each voting precinct; P6,000 for each board member; P5,000 for the supervising education official; and P3,000 for each support staff.

“Kapag nabawasan ng 20 percent ang matatanggap ng teachers, ano na ang matitira sa kanila? Sa katunayan, dapat ngang i-exempt sa tax ang election service compensation. The next best thing we can do is to keep it at 5 percent. It’s the least we can do for them. The 20 percent withholding tax is just too much,” the senator said.

She called on the BIR and the Comelec to organize a dialogue with the group.

“They really shouldn’t insist on implementing this tax increase now. Kung sa boksing ito, eh hindi pa nga nakakatayo ‘yung tao matapos ma-knockdown ng pandemya ay pupuruhan na ulit ng suntok sa mukha,” she said.