Palace downplays Domingo’s resignation

“Secretaries [Cesar V.] Purisima (Finance), Domingo, [Arsenio M.] Balisacan (Socioeconomic Planning) and all members of the Cabinet’s economic cluster are working as a unified and cohesive team together with Executive Secretary [Paquito N.] Ochoa [Jr.] and the national organizing committee (NOC) to make our APEC hosting a big success,” Communications Secretary Herminio B. Coloma, Jr. said in a text message to reporters when asked if Mr. Domingo’s resignation will affect the country’s hosting of APEC.

Mr. Domingo submitted his resignation to President Benigno S. C. Aquino III and it is under consideration, according to Mr. Coloma’s statement on Saturday.

In a separate text message to reporters on Sunday, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail F. Valte said Mr. Domingo has a “very capable” team in the Trade department which handles trade-related matters in APEC.

“Also, the APEC NOC, which is in charge of the logistical, security and other related preparations for the hosting are well-equipped to handle developments like this,” Ms. Valte said.

The APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting will be held in Manila from Nov. 18 to 19.

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Sought for comment, Ramon C. Casiple, executive director of the Manila-based Institute for Political and Electoral Reforms said resignation of Cabinet officials are expected at this time towards the end of the Aquino administration.

“Some have job fatigue, some don’t want to be identified with an increasingly lame-duck or unpopular president, and others simply want greener pastures,” he said.

Mr. Aquino will step down at the end of June next year.

He said Mr. Domingo likely supported tax reform and income tax reduction measures which is being pushed by lawmakers.

“It seems he supported tax reduction and tax reform,” Mr. Casiple said in a text message when asked what could be the reasons behind Mr. Domingo’s resignation.

Mr. Purisima earlier this month urged Congress to approach fiscal reform from a holistic standpoint with the goal of making the structure more buoyant, equitable, progressive and competitive.

Meanwhile, Mr. Domingo’s resignation is expected not to derail talks on trade-related bills that are pending before Congress.

Asked if his resignation will affect progress on the fiscal incentives rationalization bill which is currently being tackled by the House ways and means committee, panel chairman Rep. Romero Federico S. Quimbo said: “I hope not but he’s always been a main anchor in the negotiations.”

The proposed measure has not yet been finalized at the chamber as of this writing, given an apparent deadlock in talks between the Trade and Finance departments over the proposal to draft a uniform tax perks package for all firms.

Speaker Feliciano R. Belmonte, Jr. said separately while Mr. Domingo’s resignation had “no effect” on the incentives bill, it comes in a “bad timing” ahead of the upcoming APEC meeting.

Mr. Quimbo, however, said that Mr. Domingo’s decision to step down left one less ally in the Cabinet championing income tax cuts.

“I am more worried by the fact that he’s been a major supporter in the quest for simplifying the tax system and effectively lowering the tax rates for everyone,” Mr. Quimbo said via text.

Last week, Mr. Domingo batted for reforming the “very high taxes” in the Philippines during his agency’s budget briefing at the House of Representatives. — Kathryn Mae P. Tubadezaand Melissa Luz T. Lopez