Bela Padilla raises tax concern with Customs over online purchase

MANILA, Philippines — Actress Bela Padilla turned to social media to seek clarification after being charged double the tax for an online purchase.

The actress-screenwriter shared her concern on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, August 16.

“I’m being charged P4,600 in taxes for a shipment with an P11,000 value. I used your online calculator and should only be charged P1,650,” Bela wrote on X, tagging the account of the Bureau of Customs.

The actress said she usually shops online for higher-value items, which gives her an idea of the expected taxes on her purchases.

“I more or less know when the taxes are too high even without your calculator. Surely, we shouldn’t pay almost half of the value of our item in taxes, no?” Bela queried.

In the comments section of her post, Bela revealed that her purchases were shampoo and skincare products. She added that she calculated the tax at 15%, guided by the amount listed on the agency’s website, which indicated a tax due of P1,650.

Bela clarified that she does not mind paying the correct taxes but has no intention of paying over P4,600 for shampoo.

The agency said that it is resolving the issue. It will be “done privately and directly with the complaining party.” It added that the agency will act on all verified complaints “equally, without any preference or bias, whether from private individuals or known personalities.”