Piercing Pens

Three nights ago, my flatmates were discussing how difficult times are getting. One was complaining that while she was living independently and earning her own keep, she would sometimes borrow money from her mother just to survive. I myself experience living from one pay check to the next. A lot of times, when I feel the urge for a little luxury, I would mentally charge the cost to my next pay, spending some from what little I save. I could only imagine the woes of those who have the burden of earning for their families towards new tax measures proposed by some, whom Sen. Joker Arroyo aptly named as “tax terrorists.”

Franchise tax for telecoms, P2 per liter oil excise tax, sin taxes (the latter one I approve of), these are just some proposals to remedy our growing budget deficit. I could imagine my brother saying, “Anlaki-laki ng tax na binabayaran mo, saan naman napupunta?!” As if the unequal distribution of wealth in the country isn’t worse enough. What’s next? Television watching tax?

Presidential spokesperson (apologist?) Ignacio Bunye explains, “We are all in this together and let us not make this another stage for national division and political strife.” Oh no, Mr. Spokesperson. This is not another stage for national division. We have already been divided not by tax measures but by our social classes.

My take is that our lawmakers should concentrate on tax measures that may not be fair for the wealthy but “just” for the common tao. But then what would you expect from lawmakers who drive Jaguars and live in posh condos with their big-boobed escort ladies?

I know of someone who owns more than 10 luxury cars and lives in the plush village of Forbes but I see more of those hardworking and honest taxpayers, struggling to make ends meet.

This entry was posted on Friday, August 13th, 2004 at 10:32 pm and is filed under Business and Economy, Government. 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.