THE VETO of the bill seeking to grant tax exemption to the honoraria, allowances and other financial benefits of election workers “is a matter of good housekeeping,” Malacanang said on Wednesday.

Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. vetoed the proposed law with the intention of reforming the country’s tax system.

“Ang mga ganitong proposal ay parang ibinabalik tayo doon sa dating sistema na marami na naman tayong exemptions at benepisyo na ibinibigay na nakaka-cause ng confusion,” Cruz-Angeles said in a press briefing.

She clarified that the veto of the bill does not mean removing the benefits of poll workers.

“Hindi natin tinatanggalan ng benepisyo ang mga poll worker. Ang ginagawa natin ay inaayos ang sistema without discounting the possibility na puwede pa rin silang bigyan ng ayuda,” Cruz-Angeles said.

“Imbes na ganito, sabi ng ating Pangulo, magbigay tayo ng form of ayuda sa ating mga poll worker imbes na ang benepisyo ay gagawin sa pamamaraan ng pagtatanggal ng pagbubuwis,” she added.

Last week, Marcos vetoed House Bill 9652 or Senate Bill 2520 known as ‘An Act Exempting from Income Taxation the Honoraria, Allowances, and Other Financial Benefits of Persons Rendering Service During an Election Period’.

In his letter to Congress, Marcos said the measure runs counter to the objective of the government’s Comprehensive Tax Reform Program to correct the inequity in the country’s tax system and negate the progressivity of the reforms introduced under RA 10963 or the TRAIN law.

“Moreover, the studies of pertinent government agencies on the revenue loss is too substantial an impact to be foregone,” he said.