EDITORIAL - Beyond the evils of taxes

Taxes probably would not have been so bad if they were levied equally, collected properly, and distributed in the form of services promptly. But that has never been so. Taxes are not being levied equally, they are not being collected properly, and they seldom, if ever, arrive to be of any use for taxpayers.

One example of taxes not being levied equally was brought to the attention of this paper by a citizen who asked not to be named. The citizen complains that some stalls operating at the airport are not issuing any sales receipts, a requirement of the BIR to ensure proper sales reporting and tax collecting.

Aside from not issuing any sales receipts, some of the stalls reportedly do not even have BIR permits. The citizen, a regular air traveler, claims he has been demanding for a receipt from certain airport stalls in the course of two months but they simply could not produce, for obvious reasons.

So how come the BIR is not aware of the existence of unregistered businesses operating in such a high profile location as an airport? If the airport management has any authority on the matter, maybe it should step into the role that BIR seems to have apparently abandoned.

Maybe these stalls are just small businesses. But they make money out of the public and smallness of business scale should be no reason for the unequal application of taxes. Otherwise, if this is tolerated, then these business should be made to scale down their prices.

Taxes are often the main reason why prices of all goods can shoot up. Taxes have become the favorite alibi of business to increase prices. But unless the BIR makes sure that all businesses are indeed paying taxes then there is no reason why the public continues to bear the burden, as reflected in the prices.

In fact, there is an even worse example of the public getting fleeced on account of taxes. As you may have already been made aware, the two main water concessionaires in Metro Manila have been exposed as having passed on their taxes on to consumers.

What unconscionable businesses. Wala uroy panggaba-i. Can you imagine these two water companies, both already drowning in billions of profits, still having the gall and shamelessness of passing on to consumers their very own taxes?