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A Matter of Responsibility: 2007 Tax Campaign Launching

A Matter of Responsibility
2007 Tax Campaign Launching
March 9, 2007

THE MERE MENTION OF THE WORD TAX BRINGS SWEAT TO THE EYEBROWS OF MANY PEOPLE. TO THEM, IT IS ABOUT GIVING AWAY MONEY THAT IS ALREADY THEIRS.

BECAUSE OF THIS MISCONCEPTION, PEOPLE THINK OF ALL SORTS OF ALIBIS AND JUSTIFICATIONS ON WHY THEY EITHER DO NOT PAY THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF TAXES OR EVADE PAYING THEM ALTOGETHER.

THERE ARE THOSE WHO SAY THAT LIFE IS VERY DIFFICULT THESE DAYS AND THEY NEED EVERY SINGLE PESO FOR THEIR NEEDS. AND THEY ARE PARTLY RIGHT. OTHERS SAY THEY NEED MONEY MORE THAN THE GOVERNMENT, AND THEY ARE ALSO PARTLY RIGHT.

MANY PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY THE RICH AND THE POWERFUL, SAY THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY THE RIGHT AMOUNT DEMANDED BY THE GOVERNMENT AND WOULD NO LONGER BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THEIR BUSINESSES, AND THEY ARE ALSO RIGHT. THE REST SAY BILLIONS OF THE PESOS IN TAXES WILL BE LOST TO THE GOVERNMENT INCLUDING THOSE IN THE BIR ANYWAY. AND THEY ARE ALSO PARTLY RIGHT.

UNFORTUNATELY FOR ALL OF THOSE WHO RAISE THESE AND OTHER ARGUMENTS, THIS DOES NOT JUSTIFY THE REFUSAL TO PAY THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF TAXES. THEY ARE VAIN ATTEMPTS TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL GOOD FOR DOING WHAT IS NOT RIGHT.

WE ALL KNOW TAXES ARE THE LIFEBLOOD OF THE NATION. WE ALL KNOW THAT A SACK OF RICE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO STAND IF THERE IS NOTHING IN IT. WE ALL KNOW THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO RENDER BASIC SERVICES IF IT DOES NOT HAVE FUNDS FOR THAT PURPOSE.

FOR SURE, YOU WILL AGREE WITH ME THAT THE FILIPINOS ARE AMONG THE MOST OVERTAXED CITIZENS IN THE WORLD. NEARLY EVERY MOVE IS TAXED BY THE GOVERNMENT. THIS IS SAD. IN ITS EFFORT TO MEET ITS OBLIGATIONS, THE GOVERNMENT RESORTS TO ALL FORMS OF INDIRECT TAXATION WHICH COMPLICATES THE LIVES AND BRING MORE MISERY TO THE PEOPLE.

UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS NOT SOLVING THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THIS IS NOT ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM OF THE LACK OF FUNDS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE AMOUNT OF TAXES DUE TO THE GOVERNMENT. IT IS A COMBINATION OF THE MISAPPROPRIATION OF PUBLIC FUNDS FOR PERSONAL GAIN AND THE PEOPLE’S DISTRUST WHICH IS THE REASON WHY THEY REFUSE TO PAY THE RIGHT TAXES.

IT IS TRUE THAT BILLIONS OF PESOS ARE LOST ANNUALLY DUE TO GRAFT AND KICKBACKS. IF ONLY THEY WERE PUT TO GOOD USE, WE WOULD HAVE MORE MONEY TO SPEND FOR BASIC SERVICES, FOR FOOD FOR THE HUNGRY, CLOTHES FOR THE NAKED, HOMES FOR THE HOMELESS AND JOBS FOR THE JOBLESS.

AND YET THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT WHILE MILLIONS ARE GOING HUNGRY, NAKED, HOMELESS AND JOBLESS, A HANDFUL HAVE SO MUCH MONEY TO LAST MANY LIFETIMES. UNFORTUNATELY FOR THOSE WHO SPEND WHAT DOES NOT BELONG TO THEM, THEY WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE THE FULFILLMENT THAT COMES TO THOSE WHO SPEND WHAT THEY RIGHTFULLY BELONGS TO THEM.

ONE NEED NOT GO TO SCHOOL TO KNOW THAT TAKING WHAT DOES NOT BELONG TO YOU IS STEALING. BOTH THE TAXPAYERS WHO GIVE DIRECTLY TO GOVERNMENT WORKERS AND THOSE WHO RECEIVE CASH FOR A LOWER ASSESSMENT OF THEIR TAX OBLIGATIONS ARE GUILTY OF THIS.

WHILE THE LAWS OF THIS COUNTRY AND THIS WORLD MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THEM DIRECTLY, THEY WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH ANOTHER JUSTICE SYSTEM THAT NEVER SLEEPS AND FROM WHOM NOTHING IS HIDDEN.

INDEED, I HAVE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT THE PROBLEMS OF THIS NATION IS MORE THAN JUST ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL. IT IS SPIRITUAL AND MORAL. WE DO THE THINGS WE DO BECAUSE OF WHO WE ARE. THE SYSTEM DOES NOT MAKE MUCH DIFFERENCE. IT IS PEOPLE WHO NEED TO CHANGE.

I BELIEVE THAT THE REASON WHY THIS COUNTRY CANNOT GET RID OF THE MANY PROBLEMS THAT IT FACE IS BECAUSE ITS PEOPLE CHEAT BOTH THE GOVERNMENT AND GOD. FILIPINOS NOT ONLY REFUSE TO PAY THE RIGHT TAXES TO THE GOVERNMENT, THEY ALSO REFUSE TO GIVE GOD WHAT IS DUE TO HIM.

THIS IS THE REASON WHY WE CANNOT EXPECT TO RECEIVE GOD’S BLESSINGS TO BE A PROSPEROUS AND PROGRESSIVE NATION. IT SHOULD NOT SURPRISE US IF GOD WITHHOLDS HIS BLESSINGS FROM US.

IF WE LOOK AT THE MORE PROSPEROUS NATIONS IN THE WORLD, WE WILL REALIZE THAT THEIR CITIZENS PAY THEIR TAXES FAITHFULLY. NO NATION WILL EVER BE ABLE TO PROSPER IF ITS PEOPLE DO NOT PAY THEIR TAX DUES NOT ONLY BECAUSE THERE WILL BE A DEFICIT IN INCOME BUT BECAUSE THERE IS A DEFICIT IN GOD’S BLESSINGS. JESUS HIMSELF SAID GIVE TO CAESAR, MEANING TO GOVERNMENT, WHAT IS FOR CAESAR, AND GIVE TO GOD WHAT IS FOR GOD.

THIS IS THE FORMULA FOR SUCCESS. THERE MAY BE PEOPLE WHO APPEAR TO BE SUCCESSFUL WITHOUT LIVING BY THIS FORMULA. THAT IS NOT AN ASSURANCE THAT THEY WILL STAY THAT WAY. BUT PEOPLE WHO GIVE BOTH TO GOD AND TO THE GOVERNMENT WHAT IS DUE TO BOTH ARE THE HAPPIEST AND MOST FULFILLED PEOPLE THAT I KNOW.

IT IS THE PRINCIPLE OF SOWING AND REAPING. NOBODY REAPS BEFORE SOWING. WHEN WE SOW WHAT IS RIGHT, IT MAY TAKE TIME BEFORE WE REAP WHAT IS GOOD FOR US. BUT WE CAN BE ASSURED THAT WE WILL REAP THE HARVEST THAT IS DUE TO US.

UNLIKE MANY FILIPINOS, I CONTINUE TO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS STILL HOPE FOR THIS NATION. THIS IS THE REASON WHY I INSISTED IN RUNNING FOR OFFICE EVEN AFTER MANY DEFEATS. IN MY HEART, I KNEW THAT IF HE WILL GIVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY, I WILL PROVE MY WORTH BY MAKING A DIFFERENCE.

WE CAN ALL MAKE A DIFFERENCE WHERE WE ARE. WE NEED NOT WAIT FOR OTHER PEOPLE BECAUSE IT IS A PERSONAL MATTER. WE CHOOSE TO BE RIGHT NOT BECAUSE OTHERS ARE DOING WHAT IS RIGHT BUT REGARDLESS OF WHAT OTHERS DO.

CONTRARY TO WHAT MANY PEOPLE THINK, PAYING TAXES IS NOT DISCRETIONARY. PAYING IT IS A MATTER OF RESPONSIBILITY BOTH TO GOD AND THE GOVERNMENT. THERE IS NO PROSPERITY BOTH FOR THIS COUNTRY AND OURSELVES WITHOUT IT.

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This entry was posted by jnet on Monday, April 20th, 2009 at 2:33 am and is filed under Speeches. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.