Bureaucrap

It’s bad enough I have to pay taxes for potholed streets lined with garbage and a bunch of politicians emitting air hot and foul; I’m even made to jump hurdles to do so.

To pay the second installment on my income tax, I was told I had to go to the BIR Regional District Office (that’s RDO, a very important acronym) and get Form 0605 because Form 1701, which was the form I used last April, won’t do this time. Armed with three copies of Form 0605, which is gray (Form 1701 is red), and photocopies of last April’s Form 1701, I went to the bank to make the payment, only to be told that Form 0605 had to be tatak-ed and signed by the BIR RDO officer before I make the payment. Of course, the person at the BIR who gave the forms said no such thing; the instructions were to fill up the forms and bring them to the bank where I made my payment last April–"doon nila tataktakan".

No, the bank officer insisted, there is a memo from the BIR that says the tatak and signature have to be there before they can receive payment. Off I go to the San Juan BIR RDO, which is on the fourth floor of the new Agora building. I easily locate the person who is to tatak and sign the forms, but she was obviously more concerned about the ulam du jour than my forms, since she makes the tatak (her name and designation) and signs them without so much as checking the forms or giving them a second look. Exactly why this step is necessary is one of those great mysteries of life too profound for me to fathom; sort of like the mystery of Stonehenge or the Bermuda Triangle. All I’m told is "Eto talaga ang payment form". And I can’t make the payment there at the BIR office either; I had to go back to the bank where I made the first payment. Maybe it’s a territorial thing.

At least it was quick, and I did get to see the controversial Agora building (vendors of the former Agora which burned down were protesting the high fees being charged for space in this new building). The climb up to the fourth floor was good exercise, and the cop I asked directions from was very helpful and friendly.

In keeping with my policy of avoiding stress, I’m trying to focus on the positive aspects of this sorry experience. It’s a cruel double whammy when they take your money and give you a real hard time for it. Next year I think I’m joining the ranks of the tax evaders.