The young ones are anxious—will they receive bouquets of roses, chocolates, and sweet nothings on Valentine’s Day?
Amidst the lovey-dovey feels, the Cagayanon young once is keeping an eye on his tax calendar: withholding tax due on March 10, business permit renewal extended to March 31, real property taxes deadline on March 31, income tax on April 15, and quarterly value-added tax on April 25.
All that money’s going to the government, which will waste it on flood control projects and ghost projects. Politicians will then use their commissions for the next campaign season’s ulan-ulan.
The Pinoy taxpayer pays taxes; the Pinoy politician uses tax collections as his personal funds. Vicious cycle.
The Pinoy is better off buying roses, chocolates, and sweet nothings. Provided he can explain to the government why he’s not paying taxes. Lack of funds? Not a valid reason. Even if he has absolutely no more money, or he has closed his business, or he’s clinically depressed, sick, comatose, confined in the ICU... the government will still collect taxes from him. Even when he’s dead—through the estate tax. The government doesn’t listen to citizens. It only listens to its own self, and that self is saying the government needs money. “Compassionate government” is an oxymoron.
At least the Cagayan de Oro city government extended the deadline for business permit renewal from January 20 to March 31. Does that mean it’s compassionate? Hmmm.
The Pinoy won't mind being taxed to the max if he sees the government spending money wisely.
Wait, isn’t that who the Pinoy voted for when he was advised to “Vote Wisely”? Who’s Wisely?
Haha.
The election, which happens every three years—thank God, and not annually—is a ‘one time, big time’ political expense that candidates are willing to sacrifice for.
Political candidates are friends with everyone until they’re not. They’ll kiss anyone and anything, eat kamayan style, climb mountains, cross oceans, rivers, lakes, and creeks, with this “Sister Act” song as their Muzak: “I will follow him, follow him wherever he may go/There isn’t an ocean too deep/A mountain so high it can keep me away.” If only lovers could have that same dedication even beyond Valentine’s Day, this world will definitely be a better place.
But once the candidate wins, does Pinas become a better place?
With all the ulan-ulan happening a few days before Election Day, it’s impossible to think of the election’s aftermath as the voter plans on how to spend the money he has received from all political parties. Will he pay off his loans, buy groceries, a TV set, a phone? Meanwhile, the candidate is planning on how to recoup his campaign expenses, and that’s possible only if he wins.
Political candidates are kind of lucky since they’ve learned to sleep with the enemy. There are ordinary mortals who are also adept at that, and this phenomenon may boggle the minds of those who have not yet learned the art of sleeping with the enemy. It’s all for show. “There’s no business like show business/Like no business I know,” as the song goes. “There’s no people like show people/They smile when they are low.”
