ASIA/PHILIPPINES - Catholic Archbishop of Manila would like Congress to pass a “religion tax” to help support the Church and other religious communities, as in some European countries

Manila (Fides Service) - The Catholic Archbishop of Manila, Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales has suggested that the Church and the people of the Philippines would benefit from a “religion tax” similar to legislation in certain countries in Europe. He said he would like to see politicians propose a tax return for the benefit of the Catholic Church and other religions groups in the Philippines.
Yesterday, 6 September on a pastoral visit to San Lazaro Chapel in Manila, the Archbishop illustrated his idea for a “religion tax” which, he explained, is successful in Germany and Italy. The money would be used to support development and social assistance programmes, etc., run by the Catholic Church or other religions.
The Archbishop said that people, especially politicians must have an open mind to progressive ideas like the religion tax, which exists in Europe. There is a difference between taxing religion and a ‘religion tax’ he said and to approve such a law would be to show farsightedness.
Archbishop Rosales said he was willing to dialogue with politicians open to the idea.
A form of legislation similar to the one to which the Archbishop refers has existed in Germany since 1875. In Italy a tax return in support of the Catholic Church or other religious communities in the country became law in 1984 when a new State/Church Concordat was signed. The law stipulated that 8 lire of every thousand lire would go to the Church or community of the tax contributor’s choice.
The money taken from the taxes distributed by the state to religious groups, the Archbishop of Manila underlined, would not be for the building of churches or convents or seminaries, it would help support the many different works of assistance run by the Catholic Church and other religious communities.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 7/9/2004 lines 21 words 231)