By Reihana Mohideen
Despite heavy rains around 40,000 people protested in Manila against the Filipino version of a consumption tax, the Value Added Tax (VAT), which the Ramos government is threatening to introduce during the next session of Congress. The protests were timed to coincide with the reopening of Congress on July 25. The expanded VAT laws will add a 10% across-the-board tax to all goods and services.
The protests were organised by a number of newly formed anti-VAT coalitions. Sonny Melencio, one of the organisers of the People's Coalition Against VAT (KOMVAT), told Green Left Weekly that the KOMVAT rally was 30,000 strong, with the Kill VAT coalition mobilising around 4000 at a separate rallying point. The old BAYAN forces (the pro-Stalinist national democratic coalition) also mobilised separately, attracting around 2000 people.
According to Melencio the KOMVAT mobilisation had to force its way through four blockades of police and marines; during the march it was also hosed by fire trucks. The demonstrators were finally stopped by a fifth blockade of military vehicles and trucks.
The newspapers reported attempts by protesters to disrupt President Ramos' State-of-the-Nation address by releasing bats (rhyming with VAT) into the hall in the middle of his speech. The bats were found in boxes in the toilets. According to the press, recently released communist leader Filemon Lagman is said to have "masterminded the plot".