Bam Aquino’s VAT cut proposal featured in Vice Ganda’s ‘It’s Showtime’ jackpot round

Senator Bam Aquino’s plan to lower the Value-Added Tax (VAT) was brought to mainstream television after it was included in a segment of It’s Showtime on Monday.

The proposed measure, Senate Bill No. 2047, aims to reduce VAT on goods and services from 12 percent to 10 percent. It became part of a trivia question during the “Laro Laro Pick” segment hosted by Vice Ganda, where a contestant had the chance to win P100,000.

Vice Ganda introduced the question by explaining the purpose of the bill and how VAT affects everyday purchases, emphasizing that it is a tax Filipinos regularly pay.

“Para makatulong sa middle class sa gitna ng tumitinding crisis, nag-file ng Senate Resolution (Bill) si Senator Bam Aquino na magpapababa ng VAT mula twelve percent to ten percent. Naririnig mo ba yung salitang, yung term na VAT? Binabayaran natin ‘yan araw-araw. Maya’t maya araw-araw ‘di ba?” Vice Ganda told the contestant.

“Iyon, ‘di ba, iyong buwis, yung VAT, ‘di ba? Yung T doon ano tax. ‘Di ba? V-A-T. Yung T, tax. Yung VAT na sinasabi natin, ang tanong ko simple lang. Ano yung V sa VAT?” she added.

The contestant, however, failed to answer Vice Ganda correctly. VAT stands for Value-Added Tax.

Vice Ganda then lauded Sen. Bam for filing the measure, saying it will help lower the prices of goods and services, including petroleum products.

“Si Senator Bam Aquino, maganda tong naisip niya. Iyong nag-file siya ng Senate Bill 2047 that seeks to reduce VAT on goods and services, including petroleum products. ‘Di ba? Makakabawas-bawas. Maganda ‘yan,” she said.

In his measure, Sen. Aquino said the move could provide medium- and long-term solutions to shield the middle class from the impacts of the ongoing global oil crisis and other future shocks.

By lowering VAT (value-added tax), Sen. Aquino said the measure would help ease the burden on consumers — especially the middle class, which does not receive government aid — amid high prices of petroleum products and other goods brought about by the ongoing oil crisis.

Sen. Aquino also co-authored and co-sponsored in the Senate the recently enacted Republic Act No. 12316, which grants the President emergency powers to suspend or reduce excise taxes on petroleum products.

As early as July 8, 2025, just days after assuming his post as a lawmaker, Sen. Aquino filed Senate Bill No. 265, seeking the abolition of excise taxes imposed on diesel, kerosene, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), fuel oil, and unleaded gasoline under the TRAIN Law.