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Wednesday, April 13, 2005
Ledesma: VAT is okay but we need honesty
By Jun Ledesma
Sunbursts
"We are made to sacrifice while the rest of them in the halls of congress are enjoying the largesse that are derived from the pork."
THE Senate will pass the new expanded tax bill. There will be a slight variation from the original proposal.
I don't know what that is but the original scheme is to increase the existing VAT by 2 percent and that they will do away with a lot of tax holidays some quarters are enjoying.
Since it seems to be a manifest destiny we might just as well be prepared for it. By the looks of it anyway some business establishments, including the ambulant vendors, have already increased their prices.
We Pinoys can endure the worst of the slings and arrows of outrageous fortunes. And we hardly oppose them. In fact we have become exceedingly tolerant of our elected officials who seemed to be the only one unaffected by whatever VAT additional percentage.
They agreed to slice part of their pork but just the same the keep the barrel of that biggest source of corruption there is in this country.
This is the irony of it all. The ordinary people like us will have to shell out more from our already meager resources. On the other hand our lawmakers refuse to part with their pork barrel. This is patently unjust.
We are made to sacrifice while the rest of them in the halls of congress are enjoying the largesse that is derived from the pork.
Both houses will resume their regular session soon. Most of them just flew in from their junket abroad.
Remember that Pacquiao-Morales fight in Las Vegas? I heard that not a few of our lawmakers went to that city which never sleeps to witness the boxing match.
If you think they went their on their own (money) you are absolutely wrong. It's your taxes that they splurged.
Well, because many of them are wallowing in wealth, they bet on Manny Pacquiao who unfortunately lost the bout.
Many of them came home with empty pockets. Expect therefore a sudden rush of countryside development projects to be undertaken in the next few months.
Lawmakers who lost hefty sum of money in Las Vegas will recover that from the projects they will choose to be undertaken and by which contractor.
VAT? We Pinoys can still give some more. But we just hope that the Palace should put a stop at displaying profligacy. Not even the excuse of having to see the final rites of the Holy Pontiff can justify the need to charter a plane to ferry our mourners to Rome.
This is aggravated by the presence of the SSS Chairman Cunanan who ostensibly went there to represent the members of the Social Security System. Why? Who told him to represent us there.
I'm a member of the SSS and I am absolutely aghast by the cavalier explanation of Cunanan that he will represent me and the rest of the SSS members in the papal funeral.
The more insulting thing of it all is that Malacañang Palace first announced that it would take a commercial flight. Well and good.
It turned out they're taking PAL which do not have flights to Europe. It can only be a chartered flight after all. It's a tomfoolery in a classic sense and their presence in the Holy See will not wash their guilt and lies.
BTW, Leah Sanga of Philippine Airlines called to announce that the Davao City High School batch of 1983 will have its first summer reunion on May 14 at DCHS auditorium at 1:30 PM. Call her for additional details.
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (April 13, 2005 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
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