BPO employees disgusted over pork scam, want tax break

MANILA, Philippines - Call center agents and employees from different sectors called on Friday for a minimum of three-month tax holiday amidst the pork barrel issue involving senators, congressmen and officials in the executive branch.

"Every pay day, almost 15 to 25 percent painful cut in the hard-earned salary of employees and workers. The collected taxes are supposed to be provided for social services and education of its people. The funds should be used by the government for the upliftment of the condition of the Filipino people, however it was proven otherwise. We will not sit back amidst this evident corruption and plunder of the people’s money,"Raymond Palatino of #ScrapThePork Alliance said.

Call center agents, who are members of the BPO Industry Employees’ Network or BIEN also expressed their disgust over the pork barrel system.

"Contributing $13 billion worth of revenues to the national economy, we are dismayed to find out that a huge section of that revenue only goes into the pockets of big bureaucrats. We are disgusted that the government is quick to take away our hard-earned income and is just as quick in funnelling our income to the lavish lifestyles of politicians. We go through sleepless nights, endure dangers in going to work in the wee hours of the morning, and sacrifice time with our family for our work,"BIEN president Ian Porquia said.

"We deserve to receive our salary in full instead of adding more money to the funds that politicians can plunder," Porquia added.

Aside from legislators' pork barrel, the groups also urged President Benigno Aquino III to do away with his own discretionary funds.

“Day by day, the corrupt nature of the pork barrel system unfolds before our eyes. It is high time for the Aquino government to stop clinging to the pork barrel system," Palatino said.

The two groups will be joining other anti-pork barrel organizations in Makati City this afternoon.

During a short gathering in front of the Philippine Stocks Exchange in Makati, the groups will encourage everyone to stand up against the pork barrel system.

Participants will be in pink shirts and pink ribbons, and will blow whistles to voice out their call for a tax holiday and for the abolition of the pork barrel system.

They will also gather signatures from Makati employees during the event.