Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez on Friday (Sept 13) hosted a lunch meeting with Congress’ Ways and Means Committee chairs, former secretaries, and eminent economists to discuss the comprehensive tax reform program and other proposed economic reforms of the Duterte administration.
Former Prime Minister Cesar Virata; Senator Pia Cayetano, the chairperson of the Senate ways and means committee; Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, the chairperson of the House ways and means committee; former Finance Secretary and Senator Alberto Romulo who is now the chairman of the Development Bank of the Philippines; former Finance Secretary Margarito Teves; former Finance Secretary Roberto De Ocampo, who is now chairman and CEO of Philippine Veterans Bank; former Finance Secretary Jose Isidro Camacho, who is now managing director in the Asia-Pacific division of Credit Suisse; former National and Economic Development Authority (NEDA) director general Cielito Habito; former NEDA director general Arsenio Balisacan, who is now chairperson of the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC); and former Finance Undersecretary Romeo Bernardo were present at the meeting.
Also at the meeting were economists Fermin Adriano, former chancellor of the University of the Philippines-Los Banos and board member of the Asian Development Bank Institute; and Filomeno Sta. Ana, coordinator of the Action for Economic Reforms.
The former finance secretaries and eminent economists signed the statement of support calling both Houses of Congress to recognize the merits of the comprehensive tax reform program and pass the remaining packages at the soonest possible time.