Enrile thumbs down text metering system

SENATE President Juan Ponce Enrile yesterday opposed the proposal for government to install a metering system that would monitor the text messaging sales of telecommunication companies under a tax-on-text measure emanating from the House of Representatives. Enrile said he agreed with the concern raised by Rep. Rufus Rodriguez that the metering system could violate the Filipino’s right to privacy as the telcos had admitted that such a system could be used to read other people’s text messages. Likewise, even if a metering system would not infringe on the privacy of consumers, Enrile said it would entail unnecessary cost to be incurred by the government. “The metering system may be good in principle but will it be financially feasible considering the high costs of the metering machines?” said Enrile. Purportedly, the system would ensure that telcos would be honest in declaring their profit from text messages for the purpose of paying taxes. Earlier, Enrile had outright turned down the House proposal to tax texting, saying such a measure would surely not pass in the Senate. He explained that tax on text would only be acceptable to him if the burden of paying the same would not be passed on by telcos to consumers. “For example, the current P1 per text rate can be reduced to 80 centavos and government can get a 10 percent tax on that rate. That way, after the tax, telcos still collect 72 centavos per text message,” said Enrile. “It will be fair because it ensures that the tax burden will not be passed on to consumers,” he added. Journal.com.ph