Thursday, August 12, 2004 Wenceslao: Colliding intentions By Bong Wenceslao
The Arroyo administration’s plan to go on a taxing binge has reduced it into a ship in a small lake—whichever way it heads, the shallows. It floated the text message tax balloon; a revolt from the texting generation is shaping up. It talked about gross taxation, no dice. Additional taxes for petroleum products? A solid “anti” wall there.
Government’s intention can actually be understood. It wants to increase revenues to address the growing budget deficit. Or President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo needs the funds to prop up her agenda. It’s as simple as that. The problem is that imposing more taxes collides with the intention of the many to get out of the economic hole each are in.
The intention of salary earners like me, for example, is to have bigger pay to take home, given the rising cost of maintaining the needs of the family. As it is, the 10 percent tax government is slashing from my income I would consider sayang. It could have eased my burden a bit. Now consider government taking away more from that salary. A revolt?
Of course, the Arroyo administration can always try dredging whatever patriotism has remained in our hearts. Like saying that, for the sake of the country, let us sacrifice, tighten our belts. But I’ve heard that said by governments before—didn’t former dictator Ferdinand Marcos used that as his mantra? Now look who have gotten filthy rich.
Actually, for the many poor, there is practically no longer any waist from which to tighten the belt. But not so for the few rich and high-ranking public officials—they not only have the waist, they have stomachs bulging from profits or money stolen from government coffers. They have become characters in the cartoon strip, Pugad Baboy.
Which brings me to my point. I am only too willing to part with a chunk of my hard-earned income if I get the service I deserve. Meaning, that the money I part in the form of taxes return in the form of honest public service and projects and will not go to the pockets of the corrupt, which by last survey, has grown hopelessly big in number.
My suggestion then is that before the Arroyo administration collects additional taxes, it must first straighten out its act by improving revenue collection and weeding the bureaucracy of corrupt people. Have a timetable, say, one year, enough to convince the public of government sincerity in this direction. Only then should it collect more taxes.
P.S. On corruption, my friend Fiona Bojos e-mailed me information about the book, “The Guide to Investigation of Common Procurement Fraud and Irregularity” by Ms. Heidi Mendoza. The book teaches ordinary citizens (hmmm…) how to detect and prevent fraud and irregularities in government procurement.
The author is the financial consultant of the Malacanang-based Transparency Group, which is currently conducting lifestyle checks on public officials. The book costs P150 and is available in Cebu through the Philippine Media Center for Advocacy, Inc. (landline: 254-8005; text 0918-9295795).
TEXTREAX. From Buddy Solon of Lahug, Cebu City: “You are right about some media people whose swagger has become apparent kay armado. Let me tell them that at best a gun can only offer a false sense of security against an aggrieved, offended and determined killer.”
On my column about the plan of the Cebu City Government to round up beggars, here's from an unidentified texter: "Recently, a blind beggar held on to my car as the traffic light turned green. I had to stop to give him time to let go, causing a momentary traffic snarl. The driver behind me was not happy. He kept on honking."
(e-mail: khanwens@yahoo.com; text: 0927-4912362)
(August 12, 2004 issue) Write letter to the editor.Click here. Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here.
