OPPOSED TO CHIZ’S COAL PROPOSAL Groups push wealth tax instead

Labor and progressive groups in Central Visayas have opposed Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero’s proposal to generate additional government revenues through the exploration and development of the country’s indigenous coal resources, arguing that the government should instead pursue wealth taxation, improve tax collection, and address corruption.

- Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/BRP

Escudero earlier urged the national government to maximize non-tax revenue sources rather than impose new taxes, saying that bidding out exploration and production-sharing agreements over coal-bearing areas in Cagayan, Isabela, South Cotabato, and Sarangani could provide substantial revenues for the government.

In a statement, Escudero said that properly structured agreements could yield as much as P1 trillion in upfront revenues and between P70 billion and P100 billion annually, helping fund social protection programs, support energy transition efforts, and strengthen long-term fiscal stability.

“In lieu of new taxes, the government should maximize the resources it already owns,” Escudero said, adding that tapping indigenous energy resources could complement the country’s development goals without placing additional burdens on taxpayers.

However, Dennis Derige, spokesman of the Partido Manggagawa-Cebu, said the proposal runs contrary to the global trend of moving away from coal as an energy source.