Package 1 of the Duterte administration’s tax reform program was enacted into law as RA 10963, otherwise known as the “Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion” (TRAIN) Act. It amended the structure of the personal income tax, value-added tax, and excise tax on petroleum products, cigarettes, automobiles, sweetened beverages, coal and coke, and mineral products. While the RA 10963 reduced the personal income tax liability of both compensation income earners and the self-employed and professionals, it also raised the excise taxes on the aforementioned products and broadened the coverage of the VAT. This paper provides an assessment of the RA 10963’s implications on the economic incentives in affected sectors, national government revenues, distribution of tax burden across income groups, and likely impact on tax compliance.
