Citing the lack of a quorum, militant lawmakers slammed the “invalid” ratification of the comprehensive tax reform package at the House of Representatives. ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio said the bicameral version of the tax bill was ratified with only about 10 House representatives present. “Tonight’s ratification of the TRAIN by the House of Representatives was a total farce and travesty of so-called representative democracy,” Tinio said in a statement Wednesday. But Fariñas said that if any House member wanted to contest the ratification, he or she could report it to the plenary or the courts. The tax reform measure would raise the take home pay of 7.5 million individual income tax payers and impose higher taxes on fuel, cars, tobacco, coal, mining and some commodities, including sweetened beverages.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer December 14, 2017 00:11 UTC