We were in a cab earlier this evening when I heard the news that the Bureau of Internal Revenue is thinking of taxing CNN Hero of 2009 Efren Penaflorida for the prize money he got. That is totally absurd!
CNN Hero 2009
These BIR people are just downright lazy. Instead of going after tax evaders, I’m sure there’s a lot of them- big and influential people at that; instead of vigilantly enforcing the tax laws on these people, they’d rather go after an honest man, whose prize money is something he wanted to use for the sole purpose of improving his company which aims to provide quality education to street children; aside from donating 10% to charity. But our sorry government wont have none of that. I just hope there’d be a lot of people to contest this move and knock some sense into these BIR officials who thought of doing something as heartless as this.
so weird! i know that he donated all that money kaya dapat tax except.
oh wow..
? joei
http://i.am/joei
Thanks for stopping by
My take on this : BIR and the Philippine Government – Please Leave Efren Penaflorida alone! There are other important matters that need to be dealt with. Instead of thinking of ways to get his money, why not promote what he is doing – support him and encourage others to make follow his lead.
sheez man! haven’t they corrupted enough? Pati ba naman pera ni Efren pakikialaman pa?
Ang puso mo sis. hehehe! But you are right, those government officials are just there to blah blah and to get and get. Hay, kelan kaya tayo makakakuha ng mga tapat na opisyales. As for Efren, I really admire that guy. He deserve to be a CNN hero.
Mukha talagang pera yung mga taga BIR eh. Yun nang pag nanalo ka ng Lotto and other stuff even game shows on TV, they charge taxes on the winner. I had a friend who won at Game K N B before and he told me he was taxed. =S
Off topic: About the exchange link, sure. I’ll add you now~ x3
Allow me to comment on a this statement “These BIR people are just downright lazy. Instead of going after tax evaders, I’m sure there’s a lot of them- big and influential people at that; instead of vigilantly enforcing the tax laws on these people, they’d rather go after an honest man,”
The BIR is and is still going after the tax evaders. It has already making plans to hire around 5000 personnel to help in the RATE program. (Run After Tax Evaders). It is unfair for you to say that the BIR is lazy. Just because you don’t know what the BIR is doing it does not mean they are not doing their jobs.
Don’t take for granted that the Government Services is still provided because of OUR TAXES. From protecting the environment, infrastructure, security, education, health & welfare, etc.
If the BIR is not doing their job how can you support all these SERVICES?
Efren was hailed as a hero. And we are all proud of such honor that he has given to our country. But unknown to many of you. Just a few years back the chief of the NID task to run after these tax evaders was shot while leaving his home one morning leaving his children orphaned because his wife just recently passed away.
The next chief of the NID Atty. Guballa was also under threat. Because they couldn’t get to him they shot his wife including the pastor who tried to prevent it.
Your lazy BIR servants as you unfairly branded were doing their jobs dear sir’s / madam. While many of you can safely go home without having to worry that someone might kill you because of doing your job. Your BIR servants are in constant threat of their lives and their families especially those who are assigned to run after these tax evaders. They are not always like lambs but wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Taxes is vital to our way of life. Your servants who are mandated by our laws to collect these taxes are just doing their job.
Again you pointed out “instead of vigilantly enforcing the tax laws on these people, they’d rather go after an honest man”… well the BIR is enforcing the tax laws. And these laws does not only apply to big and influential people but to every people in our country. Be he or she is honest or not.
If the BIR collects taxes on prizes it is not in anyway depriving an honest man of his rights to that prize nor does it intend to deprive him of the honor he was bestowed but simply enforcing the TAX LAWs.
If there is reason to EXEMPT his winnings BASED in our laws the BIR would gladly apply it. Manny Paquiao who has also brought great honor in our country diligently pays his taxes on his winnings. As all many filipino’s do. Simply because it is in our TAX LAW.
So please be informed that your sorry government is not in anyway unjust dear sirs/ madam nor the BIR who is the implementing agency. We are just implementing the Tax Laws of our land.
So lastly let me answer on what you pointed out “he wanted to use for the sole purpose of improving his company which aims to provide quality education to street children;”
And the BIR also wants to provide the needed TAXes to SUPPORT our government in its quest for the SAME noble purpose as Efren wanted long before he embarked on this worthwhile quest.
Your BIR remains committed in our nations quest for a better life. As humans we are not perfect but we strived to find better ways to serve our country by planting the seeds of change now so that others or our children’s children may take the shade in the future.
We hope for your better understanding. May the Almighty God bless our country with a better comprehension that divided we will definitely fall but united we can stand the test of troubled times ahead.
Thank you for shedding some light into this matter. It is certainly good to know that there are still people like the ones you mentioned who would risk their lives to carry out their duties. Allow me to apologize for some of the things that I said that may not be entirely true to everyone who works for the BIR or the government, it reminds me of the classic lesson I learned back in high school -not to create a sweeping generalization. At the same time, while your claims about these few honest BIR officials are true, you cannot deny that despite the BIR’s best effort to do its job to support the government, a large portion of these collected taxes is amassed by MOST of our corrupt government officials. So pardon me for being jaded but the Philippine Government has long been, LARGELY composed of politicians and employees seeking to increase their own gains instead of the country as a whole. Nonetheless, thank you for at least letting us know that there are still, despite very few, some people in the government who does not waver in their commitment to serve this country right.
Thank you also for understanding.
You raised a very interesting concern, you said “while your claims about these few honest BIR officials are true, you cannot deny that despite the BIR’s best effort to do its job to support the government, a large portion of these collected taxes is amassed by MOST of our corrupt government officials.”
Well, i agree with you on this. And it is very unfortunate that their are officials in our government who unjustly gain from the taxes the BIR painstakingly collected. But i would just like to point out that the BIR’s mission is collect taxes for government we do not do investigate corruption in our government.
But the BIR does investigate our own people who were reported for being corrupt, bad conduct, extortion, etc. Some were dismissed from service some where brought to court. But these things were not really being circulated or known to many. But nevertheless wether people know it or not the BIR intends to clean its ranks.
The BIR has a division who handles these complaints against erring BIR personnel. You will find an email complaint facility in our website for this also.
Corruption is not at all confined to our Government or its agencies only. It extends to every part of our society. Whether you agree with me or not, even in the Vatican they have their share of corruption. Our national hero Rizal knew and wrote about it. As i’ve said as humans we are not that perfect but we must see the good side of things and fight for it.
Freedom from tyranny or corruption will never be handed down to us in a silver platter we have to earn it.
The BIR is always at the shorthand of the stick when it comes to this issue. Politicians are already trying to cash in on the issue of Efren by making us look bad. though i am saddened by traditional political agendas masquerading as compassion… it is my hope that we will rise above all this.
We only need to believe in it. Thank you again and may the Almighty bless us all.
Your points are well taken sir/madam, again allow me to apologize for how I blogged about the issue, it was rather impulsive and irresponsible. I’m glad that you mentioned that the BIR is trying its best to clean up its ranks, as I do know a handful of people whose parents or relatives works for the BIR and they are unusually well off considering their current post in the said agency. A friend of mine used to date someone whose mom works for the BIR and her boyfriend picks her up only in the wee hours of the morning, because it is only then that he could use their top down BMW car. Thank you for pointing out that there is a way to inform the agency of these people. That will be a very useful tool.
And yes, your point about taxing contest winners, even Manny Pacquiao is well taken too. Thank you for your thoughts and for seeking to enlighten me on this issue. Your thoughts are always welcome in this blog. Best regards and God bless!
Woah! Someone from BIR actually replied. xD
i’m sorry.. you lost me at ‘allow me to comment..’ LOL.
efren’s an easy target. that’s why they’re going after him.
and boo friggin hoo on bir officials. they’re the last filipinos i’ll ever feel sorry for.
ano ba yan. dapat yung mga hinahabol nila yung mga mayayaman na nangdadaya sa business nila. Saka yung ibang chinese na hindi nag babayad ng tax, madami dun sa binondo.
Thanks Blue, its good to know people who are generous enough to give room for thoughts that may run contrary to popular belief. Appreciate it very much for considering
I really can’t blame geri’s “boo friggin hoo” views. I’m sure a lot of people have experienced a lot of disappointments with BIR’s services in more ways than one.
Of BIR officials with so much wealth that one can’t help but be disgusted and sadly brand every person in the Bureau of this offense.
Sure we can understand that we will be the last filipinos geri will ever feel sorry for… but really we don’t need you to be sorry for us dear. Thank you for even giving it a thought.
Contrary to what you may think geri. Efren is not a target whether you believe or not… easy for you to think it to be so. But the BIR is just implementing the Tax Laws of our country.
Don’t you think it’s ironic… if we don’t implement the Tax laws we’re damned but if we implement the Tax Laws we’re still damned.
But anyway, i wish you the best for you and your family geri. Hate to admit it but you have a nice pciture blog. I can see your blessed with a good life.
Again Bluerlyn thanks for having me in your blog. May the Almighty bless us always with a deeper understanding of the things we think we know and a heart to embrace the kindness we all need.
hala pati ba naman yung price ni efren kokotongan pa nila. ano ba yan? tsk tsk
sure po.
@ Dralnux, Adrian and Geri – i actually plan to update this post considering the exchange of comments I had with the person behind birtaxinfo. The exchange may be lengthy but its worth it to read the exchange.
thanks for visiting my blog anyways, you are all welcome all the time.
hhhmm, ang unang hahabulin eh yung madaling hanapin at hindi capable mag death threats or something.
after reading BIRTAXINFO’s comments, it got me thinking … hmmm I think the Government should have bodyguards for the people who actually track down the tax evaders. They are also our unsung heroes.
Thank you for shedding some light sir/madam. Your thoughts are highly regarded. My apologies as well. I guess I, like any other filipino is tired of all the problems arising from corrupt individuals thus it is far easier to make a sweeping comment.
God Bless and More Power.
Again hello bluerlyn. And hi to Girlie, hindi naman po nagtatago si Efren sa BIR para hanapin po siya, pinapatupad lang po ng inyong BIR ang batas sa pagbubuwis. Gaya ng nasabi ko na po kasama na po sa trabaho ng BIR ang pagharap sa gumagamit ng gayong pananakot. Wala pong mangyayari kasi sa ating bansa kung matatakot tayo sa mga ganitong mga tao na mahilig manakot. Hindi rin naman sila nagpapakilala at kung sinong negosyo ang ninanais nilang protektahan kaya sila nanakot. Di po ba? Umaasa po ako sa lubos ninyong pang-unawa.
Hi Izzie, thank you for your kind words . Appreciate it very much. The BIR as an institution i believe with all certainty was created with a noble intention to help & support our Government and country in its development. With the hope to improve the lives of citizens it serves.
And having said this again the people in the bureau are not perfect and for which in some point in your lives you experience faults in our part. We ask for your kind patience and inform us through our ecomplaint facility of this so that the top management can improve the way BIR personnel is rendering its service.
Again thank you bluerlyn. Would also like to ask you if its not too much. How can one get a personal domain like yours without the name of the hosting website? I’m quite new with blogging and would appreciate it if you can help me out. Thanks again.
You have really great taste on catch article titles, even when you are not interested in this topic you push to read it
Not bad article, but I really miss that you didn’t express your opinion, but ok you just have different approach