Manila (AsiaNews) The Filipino government is proposing to collect more taxes from its citizens, targeting now even cell-phone text messages to curb the surging national budget deficit, which rose to P (Filipino Pesos) 64.7 billion (1.17 billion U.S.dollars) from January to April this year. It is expected to increase to P 197.8 billion (3.56 billion US dollars) by the end of 2004. Now, what has been giving "a little comfort to people texting one another, far and near, is being eyed for taxes," says Archbishop Oscar Cruz of Lingayen-Dagupan in a message sent today to the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines' media office. "What even children can play with somehow, is now being targeted for tax."
The Philippines is said to be the text capital of the world, with about 100 million texts sent daily. It is estimated that there are 20 million cell-phone owners in the country. Texting is one of the fastest forms of communication in the country, particularly in areas were there are no telephone lines. It was primarily texting which was used to bring people to the Edsa Shrine of Mary, Queen of Peace, during the so-called 2nd Rosary Revolution of 2001, which consequently ousted former President Joseph Estrada and brought President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to the presidency.
The country has more than P 3 trillion public debts (55.50 P = circa 1 US dollar). For the past three years alone, the government has borrowed a total P 958.168 billion (17.25 billion US dollars) from foreign and domestic sources. Thus, says the Archbishop, "When a baby is born, he cries for his birth, and for debt. His birth is met with taxes until death. His debt amounts to more than P 60,000, (1,080 US dollars)without him spending one centavo thereof."
Taxes are continually increasing without end on commodities as basic as gas, electricity, coffee, milk and sugar and other food, car costs, and hospital treatment, including burial and cemetery fees, to name a few. "When one earns, he pays income tax. When he spends, he pays taxes for goods he buys. When he saves his money in the bank, he pays taxes. When he keeps his money, it devaluates." And now the government wants to tax text messages.
"The government must be ultra-broke," Mons. Cruz says, raising the question on everyone's mind: "Where have all the public funds gone? Where are the so many actual taxes going?"
Mons. Cruz voices the exasperation of the people, as on top of this, salaries remain stagnant while prices are on the rise. "The peso does not appreciate," he noted.
Mons. Cruz laments the thought of taxing a mere text. "What will the government tax next? The air we breathe?" he asks.
"Have mercy on the people!" (S.E.)
