Category Archives: Government

Government, Politics

Philippine Presidential Candidate Mar Roxas Adds Another Feather To His Cap

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imageMANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Philippine presidential candidate Mar Roxas has just added a new feather to his cap.  Indeed, President Aquino’s anointed successor is the undisputed candidate of the masses.

During the aftermath of the worst typhoon to hit the Philippines, Roxas was seen in ground zero overseeing relief operations and giving aid to residents except those who were loyal to his and President Aquino’s political nemesis, the Romualdezes.

When there was a shortage of garlic in the Philippines, he was seen carrying a sack of garlic on his shoulder.

When there was rumor about a rice shortage, he was seen carrying a sack of government rice on his shoulder.

When Metro Manila experienced the worst traffic nightmare ever, he was seen directing traffic in one of Manila’s most congested street intersections.

When Metro Manila’s light railway system (MRT) was the subject of intense criticism for its overcrowding, inefficiency and mismanagement, Roxas was seen riding the train on non-commute hours.

More recently, his campaign released a photo of him eating rice out of a coffee cup and drinking water from a plate. Just like the masses do. Or so he thinks.

Roxas’ latest campaign publicity shows him having a meal in a Southern Leyte public market, just like many  poor people do.

The only thing his campaign staff forgot to do was ask him to wear his tattered t-shirt as previously described by his wife Korina Sanchez.  It would have been more perfect.

Also, there was too much yellow in the publicity photo. Oh well…

Economy, Government, International

Philippine Congress Wants to Tax Income Of Overseas Filipino Workers

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(Photo credit: Inquirer.net)

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – The Philippines’ Congress is at it again. Members want to exempt Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach from paying taxes on her income as Miss Universe.  But Wurtzbach has declined, saying she will continue to pay her taxes just like she always did in the past.

This is not the first time that such a proposal has been filed in Congress. There have been several attempts to put forward a similar bill exempting Filipino champion boxer Manny Pacquiao from paying taxes.  (Incidentally, Pacquiao is facing a P3.2 billion tax evasion case before the Court of Tax Appeals. The case was filed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue after assessing that Pacquiao had incurred “deficiency income and value-added tax” from 2008 to 2009, worth P2.2 billion. Penalties and surcharges caused the deficiency to balloon to P3.2 billion.)

Congress wanted to grant the tax exemptions, arguing that Wurtzbach and Pacquiao are the “pride of the Philippines, putting the country on the world map, and considering them as “heroes.”

Well, what about the true heroes of the Philippines — the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs)? They are the backbone of the Philippine economy, infusing more than $26 Billion in remittances to the country annually?

Currently,  the wages or income of OFWs arising out of their overseas employment are exempt from income tax. Since OFWs usually already pay income taxes in the country they are working in, the Philippines exempts those taxable income of Filipinos through the virtue of tax reciprocity. With the tax reciprocity rule, Filipinos working abroad are taxed for incomes received there and are exempt from paying income taxes in the Philippines, in the same way that foreigners working in the Philippines are taxed here for incomes sourced within the Philippines and are also not required to pay income taxes anymore to their home country.

But now, some smart members of Congress want to lift that exemption, and the Aquino administration — especially Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares — favor the proposal.

“Sure, it would be a case of double taxation,” Henares said, “but think about the huge tax revenue that the Philippine government will earn from taxing OFW income abroad.”

It’s more fun in the Philippines!

 

 

 

Awards, Beauty, Government, International

Miss Universe Returns To The Philippines, Tax Woman Confiscates Her Crown

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The crownless Miss Universe. Inset: Henares
The crownless Miss Universe. Inset: Henares

NINOY AQUINO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Miss Universe 2015 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach arrived in her native Philippines today to a warm welcome at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). She wasn’t wearing her $300,000 crown.

In her brief statement upon arrival, Wurtzbach thanked all who trooped to the airport in the early hours of the morning to welcome her.  She did not mention anything about her missing crown.

However, The Adobo Chronicles just learned that the crown was personally confiscated by the Philippines’ chief tax woman, Kim Henares of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).  The BIR commissioner was on hand to greet her at the airport’s VIP lounge with an official tax statement demanding $30,000  (1.4 Million pesos) in taxes for the bejeweled crown.

When Wurtzbach refused to pay up, saying that the crown is just “on loan” to her for the duration of her reign, Henares ordered her tax agents to confiscate the crown.

Miss Universe is scheduled to hold a press conference tomorrow and is expected to reveal details of the confiscated crown.