Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez on Friday resumed nationwide consultations with persons with disabilities in Pampanga to ensure that all concerned establishments religiouasly comply with the law exempting them from the payment of 12-percent value added tax on certain goods and services.
Romualdez is the principal author of Republic Act 10754 signed by President Benigno Aquino III on March 23.
Romualdez, leader of the House independent bloc, said the battle for the immediate implementation has just started .
“The fight has just begun. Our task now is to ensure and guarantee that all beneficiaries will fully enjoy the assistance that the law has been offering.” Romualdez said there are at least 1.5-million PWD beneficiaries.
“We will work now for the immediate implementation of the law and make sure that all provisions are strictly followed,” Romualdez stressed.
Romualdez met with PWD beneficiaries in separate forums at Lubao Gym in Lubao and in one of the ancestral houses in Mabalacat to address their concerns on the scope of the benefits that the newly signed law will provide them.
Romualdez said the VAT exemption coverage of the law shall apply to the following: medical and dental services; purchase of medicines in all drugstores; public railways, skyways and bus fare; admission fees charged by theaters, cinema houses, concert halls, circuses, carnivals and other places of culture, leisure and amusement; and all services in hotels and similar lodging establishments, restaurants, and recreation centers.
The PWD law would also allow the relatives, up to the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity, taking care of handicapped to claim a tax deduction of P25,000 in their income tax.
The law added funeral services and burial expenses to the list of assistance to be given to PWDs.