APRUBADO na ni Pangulong Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. ang bagong Comprehensive Tariff Program para sa 2024-2028.

Sa pulong balitaan sa Malakanyang, sinabi ni National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan na inaprubahan ni Pangulong Marcos ang plano bilang chairman ng board.

Layunin nito na ibaba ang taripa sa bigas, agricultural and industrial products pati na sa materials at intermediate inputs na ginagamit sa manufacturing.

Sabi ni Balisacan na target ni Pangulong Marcos na maibalanse ang interes ng mga consumer at mga producers at mapanatili na mababa ang mga bilihin at makamit ang food security.

“The tariff maintenance will ensure access to inputs and support efforts to improve productivity and competitiveness. This measure will help our domestic industries by reducing the cost they incur for their inputs, enabling them to be more competitive especially in the global market,” pahayag ni Balisacan.

Paliwanag ni Balisacan, hindi naman malulugi ang gobyerno sa pagbababa ng taripa dahil lalakas naman ang pag-ikot ng pera dahil magiging mura ang mga bilihin.

Maglalabas aniya ng executive order si Pangulong Marcos para maipatupad ang bagong programa.

“The president will issue an executive order to implement this new tariff program. Along with a liberalized policy regime for crucial food quantities to help mitigate the impact of commodity shocks and local prices, we recognized the necessity of effectively implementing long term and permanent solutions to modernize and improve the productivity of the agriculture sector. This thrust is crucial to a comprehensive and sustainable response to supply constraints and food inflation,” pahayag ni Balisacan.