Paying our Dues

In this country, the prevailing culture is generally against paying taxes. Perhaps not without good reasons.  People consider taxation as undue impositions by a very powerful state upon a powerless, helpless citizenry. And the worst victims of these imposed burdens are the working class, those who barely make both ends meet. Every time a worker looks at his pay envelop, he is either deeply saddened or extremely angered, or both, by the serious damage, mercilessly inflicted upon his defenseless take-home-pay. Aside from being unilaterally diminished by the impositions of the SSS, ECC, Pag-ibig, Philhealth, union dues, and agency fees, the government removes a big chunk called witholding tax on income. This is a virtual hold-up or highway robbery upon a hapless people, legitimized by a government that is controlled by the rich and the powerful.

 This injustice on the people started since the dawn of human civilization, when government was invented as a better option to the savage laws of the jungle. Today, everything is being taxed from crib to grave, from baby basket to casket. The Filipinos are very subservient people. They just follow with heavy heart and a grudging sense of being exploited. But they know that this scheme is virtually depriving them of their hard-earned money without due-process of law.

 The people feel alone and without any relief. The congressmen, including those who are supposed to be cause-oriented sectoral representatives, are not representing them at all, much less are listening to their woes and looks at their predicament. In fact, they are, like Brutus, the one who enacted these impositions to promote the best interests of the powerful elite that controls all levels and branches of government. And when taxes are imposed on business, the owners conveniently pass them on to the consumers, the people.

 Why do workers hate paying taxes? Let me count the ways. First, they feel that there are simply too many taxes to pay, and too many agencies, branches and levels of government that all conspire to bleed the poor with taxes. When a person is born, when he dies, when he gets married and when he avails of any kind of government service, it is not given free. There is a fee. The people are nauseated, paying too high for lousy government service.

 Second, contrary to what is being proclaimed by the tax collectors, taxation in this country is NOT progressive but, in fact, retrogressive in actual practice. It is the poor who are excessively overtaxed, overburdened and under-represented in tax legislation. Rich business taipans, powerful industry tycoons are enjoying protection by topnotch accountants and well-oiled tax lawyers who can make molehills out of mountains of taxes. Many law firms and medical practitioners who earn millions do not issue receipts, much less report true incomes. Many religious groups that operate expensive schools and hospitals are exempt from taxes and levies, surreptitiously hiding under the guise of so-called non-profit foundations, when in fact they are raking in billions of profits. Third, there are alleged corruptions in tax administration, which everyone whispers about, but no one is bold enough to expose, in a conspiracy of helplessness and cynicism.

 Lastly, and perhaps the most destructive, is the common perception that tax money and public funds are being squandered, wasted or stolen by the corrupt. Why are legislators involved in the executive functions of building highways, bridges, intervening in the choice of contractors, in public biddings and awards of multi-million government projects? Why are government personnel wasting public funds in useless travels in the guise of Lakbay Aral in such sites as Boracay and Tagaytay? And why do we need a bicameral legislature with too many legislators, who do more investigations than legislations? These are the factors that frustrate our taxpayers and make them hate even more the burden of paying taxes.

In the Bible, Jesus classifies taxpayers in the same category as prostitutes and Pharisees. He admonishes the hypocrites, however, to give unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar. But He makes it our duty to give to God what belongs to God. We believe that God expects the truth to be told about taxation. We believe the foregoing to be part of the truth. Let this be told without fear nor favor.