Tax increase & Furla

I was back reading today my twitter feed when I came upon a tweet about the Bureau of Internal Revenue's (BIR) plan to increase the tax percentage collected from compensation income taxpayers. In short, all of us corporate slaves will be taxed some more. 

I couldn't help but put it out there that the BIR should focus its attention on efficient tax collection from corporations rather than exerting more efforts on taxing people. It's so disheartening given the fact that 30% of an employee's pay automatically gets deducted for the government. 

But what does the government do for us? I say, nothing. We pay for every government-related transactions. Efficiency? Zilch. We don't even get to enjoy a decent subsidized hospitalization in a government-run hospital. Private sector employees would rather go to private hospitals. And besides we have HMO for that. 

What about the roads? Aside from the killer traffic in urban Manila and even in major cities, we need to pay for the use of the road, too. How annoying?!

Abe Lincoln said there are two things that are inescapable in this world, death and taxes. But at least in America, its citizens get to enjoy where their taxes go -- health, sanitation, infrastructure. 

Sadly in our country, tax collection is not just taxing... it's murderous! This leads me to a sad, sad reality check. The tax collected from me month-on-month could already feed two average-sized family. Yet, the growing divide between rich and poor in this country stretches more and more... to infinity. 

Whilst the Forbes Richest Men lists more and more Filipinos that accounts for the 76% of the economic growth last year, the rest of the Filipinos are struggling to make it day by day. How ironic, eh?

Now, I was just ogling at these three nice bags the past few months. I've been wondering if I should buy one. However given this looming cross that I (a working man er woman) must bear, the possibility is shrinking by the minute. 

I know it's shallow. Maybe the rest of humanity has more important concerns in their lives. But we all work hard because we have needs and wants to satisfy. Right now, mine just happens to be a bag craving... 

XX

Sheng