Private folk earning P.5M must file SALN by April 15

[Ranger]

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Talked about taxes?

If one is an employee: Salary is already subject to withholding taxes. Therefore, you only got to take home your net salary.

Now, one go to supermarket to buy foods, etc..to survive until the next payday. And again, one need to pay the Value Added Tax (VAT) for these commodities. Isn't this a matter of double taxation?

[yacky2006]

Talked about taxes?

If one is an employee: Salary is already subject to withholding taxes. Therefore, you only got to take home your net salary.

Now, one go to supermarket to buy foods, etc..to survive until the next payday. And again, one need to pay the Value Added Tax (VAT) for these commodities. Isn't this a matter of double taxation?

ayaw palit sa supermarket adto sa public market aron walay VAT....

naa VAT sa supermarket kay naay mid-marketer ana mao mahal plus VAT samot....

[Vundaboi]

Oh and just to clarify, I think this is a stupid proposal by the BIR. Of course, there are lots of things I don't like about this country. But sometimes, you've got to suck it up and roll with the punches.

[Ranger]

ayaw palit sa supermarket adto sa public market aron walay VAT....
naa VAT sa supermarket kay naay mid-marketer ana mao mahal plus VAT samot....

I don't think walay VAT g-impose maski sa public market pa ka palit...the principle of VAT is actually taxation at each stage of its manufacture and distribution, ultimately passed on to us consumers. As a matter of fact, there are instances, mas barato pa gani sa uban supermarket ang karne compared to public market.

And VAT is not only imposed on consumer products but also, in Services. I read some articles where it says that VAT actually is to avoid double taxation (??)

[RMK711]

Sorry but that's a sh|tty excuse. When our business was in the SME stage, we paid the right taxes, even if it meant losing revenue on some months. We went through all 15 steps to start our venture--no shortcuts or bribes. If I could do it, there's no reason why others can't. You want to start a business, you better be damned ready to play by the rules.

I doubt whether or not you really own a business, let alone really worked in one. Everyone who is in business knows how the BIR works. If you pay the right taxes and refuse to give under the table, they will give you a hard time, it will be as if you are a worse criminal than if you played their game and paid grease money. Everyone who is in business who I have talked to knows this very basic reality. This is where people who have no idea about business and live in a make believe ideal world fail the reality test. The ideal <> reality. That is often the case here in the Philippines.

Also another area where your idealism fails is the fact that most of these businesses are providing employment for many Filipinos. It is true some of them will survive despite paying the right taxes, but many will fail because taxes in this country are too high and the rules are convoluted and easily manipulated by evil BIR inspectors who "make up" their own rules as they go along. Why do you think investors hate investing here, it's not just because of the stupid 60-40 constitutional implementing law. If these businesses go under, lots and lots of Filipinos will become unemployed. And who is going to save these losers with no jobs, the idiot government?

Like I said, businessmen will be willing to pay the right taxes and lots want to, but the government MUST CLEAN UP ITS ACT FIRST. Useless trying to pay the right tax if the taxman will hound and harass you with baseless cases because even though you paid the right tax, you didn't pay them grease money and thus they found some magic rule to file cases against you. Sure you will probably win in court, but who the f*k wants to take that risk? And surely you aren't suggesting the most idiotic notion that not only should you pay the right taxes you should also pay under the table anyway because this is exactly what will happen if you paid the right taxes, YOU STILL HAVE TO PAY UNDER THE TABLE. Importers know this, exporters know this, local businessmen know this but you sir do not know this. Why, I wonder!

Again, reality vs fantasy. I'm a businessman in business here who has many friends who are also in business. So I know the reality. You live in a fantasy or are making things up because what you are saying is not consonant with the real business experience of people who are really in business in this screwed up country.

[RMK711]

really? so it's an excuse not to pay the right taxes? bisag mas dako pa gibayran na taxes ang mga empleyado nimo? and you want the government employees to be more honest. its like the crow calling the kettle black.

dili lang mi sa documents ra magtan-aw, sir. naay credit investigation and appraisal of properties.

you want honesty from government employees but you condone the dishonesty of private citizens. one must start with oneself. imo

Which business are you talking about that is paying less taxes than its employees? Even businesses that pay under the table I guarantee you are paying more taxes than even the highest paid employee in that company. Maybe what you want is for businesses to be bled dry by exorbitant taxation and for the government officials to enjoy the windfall taxes, nevermind the fact that most of these businesses will collapse and many people will become unemployed. Then who is going to pay the tax now?

Also you should know that there are many LEGAL loopholes in this country, and that a lot of those businesses who are paying less taxes than you think they deserve are actually paying less taxes legally, by using these legal loopholes that their accountants and tax lawyers have found. Why do you think tax lawyers and accountants earn so much money? Because our taxation laws are notoriously ambiguous and the jurisprudence on tax so convoluted and prone to flipflopping it is very easy to use the government's own rules against it at the Court of Tax Appeals. Secondly, the very corruption of the government itself hinders the collection process. How about the case of Shell and its so-called tax avoidance scheme, a scheme that was approved no less than the previous BIR commissioner? So you see where I'm going here, do you finally understand why the government should clean up its act first before demanding people pay the so-called "right" tax? Which do you think is the greater crime? Tax evasion or plunder?

Both need to be resolved, I'm not saying people should not pay taxes, what I am saying is government should go after plunderers first and once they have settled that and cleaned up our shitty government, then they can start going after tax evaders. Until then, it is like the person swimming in the sewer persecuting the person wallowing in mud.

[Vundaboi]

I doubt whether or not you really own a business, let alone really worked in one. Everyone who is in business knows how the BIR works. If you pay the right taxes and refuse to give under the table, they will give you a hard time, it will be as if you are a worse criminal than if you played their game and paid grease money. Everyone who is in business who I have talked to knows this very basic reality. This is where people who have no idea about business and live in a make believe ideal world fail the reality test. The ideal <> reality. That is often the case here in the Philippines.

Also another area where your idealism fails is the fact that most of these businesses are providing employment for many Filipinos. It is true some of them will survive despite paying the right taxes, but many will fail because taxes in this country are too high and the rules are convoluted and easily manipulated by evil BIR inspectors who "make up" their own rules as they go along. Why do you think investors hate investing here, it's not just because of the stupid 60-40 constitutional implementing law. If these businesses go under, lots and lots of Filipinos will become unemployed. And who is going to save these losers with no jobs, the idiot government?

Like I said, businessmen will be willing to pay the right taxes and lots want to, but the government MUST CLEAN UP ITS ACT FIRST. Useless trying to pay the right tax if the taxman will hound and harass you with baseless cases because even though you paid the right tax, you didn't pay them grease money and thus they found some magic rule to file cases against you. Sure you will probably win in court, but who the f*k wants to take that risk? And surely you aren't suggesting the most idiotic notion that not only should you pay the right taxes you should also pay under the table anyway because this is exactly what will happen if you paid the right taxes, YOU STILL HAVE TO PAY UNDER THE TABLE. Importers know this, exporters know this, local businessmen know this but you sir do not know this. Why, I wonder!

Again, reality vs fantasy. I'm a businessman in business here who has many friends who are also in business. So I know the reality. You live in a fantasy or are making things up because what you are saying is not consonant with the real business experience of people who are really in business in this screwed up country.

*claps for grand assumptions*

We've never evaded taxes when our business was still up and running (and no, it didn't close down due to bankruptcy, but that's beside the point). Sure, we made certain "maneuvers" to get the right people on our side, but never outright bribery with money or gifts. Whether you believe that or not is your problem--that's my side of the story.

[RMK711]

*claps for grand assumptions*

We've never evaded taxes when our business was still up and running (and no, it didn't close down due to bankruptcy, but that's beside the point). Sure, we made certain "maneuvers" to get the right people on our side, but never outright bribery with money or gifts. Whether you believe that or not is your problem--that's my side of the story.

Well I don't believe it. And nobody who actually does business in the real world as opposed to in a dream will believe it either.

[samamar21]

anyway i wont be affected on this new ruling!

[INFRACTION]

how about transparent SALN's and AIRs of the Government officials publication monthly on local newspaper and on TV media , mao ni dapat nila buhaton unsaon man nang grabeh og tax collection where ang tax dili gamiton sa saktong paagi