I am making an early Christmas planning. I picked up today an advance Christmas present for Oyen. When I asked for the receipt, the store manager told me, “Mam, we all pay taxes. Pero ang kakapal nila”. He obviously was reacting to the big-time Napoles NGO PDAF scandal.
People are now aware that we all pay taxes one way or another. Everytime we buy something, tax is imbedded thru the enormous 12% vat. Kada kain natin sa restaurant, kada karga ng gasolina, kada punta sa mall, merong tax yan.
When I found out five years ago, that the minimum wage earners were exempted from income tax, I suggested to the former Finance Secretary that no one should be exempted. I suggested collecting even a small amount, say P50 or P100 from the minimum wage earners. The amount is minimal but collectively, it could translate to hundreds of millions or billions which the government could use to build additional classrooms, provide basic health care, etc.
Paying taxes is our way of contributing for our country’s upkeep.
So we could build bridges, roads, highways, dams, canals, schools, pay for teachers, etc.
So the government could embark on projects that would help improve the lives of all or majority of its citizens.
We need money to recruit, train, and employ professional and dedicated policemen to keep criminals out of our lives so we can live in peaceful surroundings.
So we could modernize our military
so our neighboring countries don’t bully us.
So our sick kababayans have access to subsidized health care, etc.
Maraming so-so.
Our country has other sources of income aside from taxes. We have rich natural resources. Did you read about the Malampaya Gas Fund?
Dapat our taxes must be reduced. Hindi naman napupunta sa dapat paglagyan. Nasasayang lang, Parang itinatapon lang natin sa kanal. Tapos tayong mga ordinaryong mamamayan ang nawawalan.
Corporations suffer too. May kita or lugi, bayad pa rin ng tax. They are under extreme harassment and scrutiny as if these corporations are all cheaters. Frankly speaking, the government is questioning companies on money that’s hard earned and owned by companies. On expenses necessary in the course of their businesses. On margins they have to make to survive and pay for the high cost of doing business including payment of very high, double and triple taxes. On money they have to earn to pay for their loans, mortgages, and interest costs.
Companies not making enough are ridiculed by publishing their names. They paid P10,000 tax? Could it be that they’re actually losing money but didn’t want to report a loss because it’s disgraceful and lacking credibility to have a negative income tax return?
Not because someone in the same business earns millions doesn’t mean that everyone else in the neighborhood does. Different company, different circumstances. Maybe they own the building, they don’t lease. Maybe they have a lot of capital that they don’t have any carrying costs to their merchandise. If their company is in the province, mas mura ang sweldo, kuryente, petty cash at iba pa. Maraming maybe.
Government must enable companies to flourish, and not de-motivate.
They actually discourage, not encourage.
We are all presumed to be earning tons of money, fast and easy by the government. We are all expected to contribute a big amount as tax. We are required to account for every centavo that we earned. We are required to justify where and how we spent them. They treat us with no respect at all when they come to ask for accountability and explanation.
Ating perang pinagtrabahuan, pinaghirapan, sa malinis, at marangal na pamamaraan. Hindi galing sa panloloko ng kapwa. Malinis na pera na pinaghanapbuhayan ng mamamayan. Saan napupunta?
Dapat ay gamitin lamang para sa mabuting kapakanan para umunlad ang ating bansa. Mabawasan ang mga mahihirap. Mabawasan ang mga kriminal sa lansangan. Para tayong mga Pilipino ay makapamuhay ng matiwasay sa ating sariling bayan.
We all have the right to a better living environment, where it’s safe, comfortable, orderly and progressive. So we can keep our heads up high with dignity and pride.
