SAD BUT TRUE: The Philippines has been long since easily and readily accorded the demeaning and lamentable title as a “Third World Country” in the global community.
Translation: It is a place where socioeconomic poverty reigns supreme – notwithstanding all claims to the contrary regularly mouthed by the government.
If survey results gathered at the instance of its allies, followers or friends – and funded by the same as a matter of fact – were given credence, the conclusion would be one and the same, viz., it is not only fun but heavenly in the Philippines!
But lo and behold! Modesty aside, there is something singular and amazing about the government of the Philippines that is supposedly to be of the people, by the people, and for the people. This: Taxation of every individual Filipino, children and elderly, rich and poor, professionals and unlettered.
But exemptions there definitely are. These are the rich and famous, the powerful and influential. They are above the law. But the needy, the hungry, the miserable, they are well covered by the law – as usual. The standing fact however is that even beggars pay taxes to the government. How come?
As of this writing at least, there are two generic kinds of taxes gleefully imposed by the government upon all ordinary Filipinos without exception, i.e., the well-known “direct” taxes and much detestable “indirect” taxes.
By the way, there is now the wicked “Sin Tax” which is basically an ingenious combination of the said two categories of taxes. What other taxes will come next, we leave this to the administration to invent, to ascertain its legislation and to impose its collection from the people.
As it is a stipulation of legal justice that citizens should pay taxes to the government, so it is also a requirement of distributive justice for the government to provide public welfare, to promote the common good in favor of the citizens.
By the way, it bears noting that while legal justice is inescapable, distributive justice – well, never mind.
So it is that salaries, profits, and other kinds of income are “indirectly” taxed. At the same, however, even expenses, purchases, and other payments are also taxed “indirectly.” The earnings of big and small savings in big and small banks are also infallibly taxed. Even food, water, and drinks are likewise taxed “indirectly.”
More. When a baby is born, he or she is also “indirectly” taxed when taking milk, when using cotton, alcohol, diapers.
More. As the same starts growing up, he or she continues to be “indirectly” taxed when eating fast foods, when buying soft-drinks, when consuming canned goods.
More. When the same eventually dies, those surviving him or her will pay “indirect” tax for the purchase of the coffin.
Conclusion: Filipinos pay taxes from birth to death./PN
