President BS Aquino keeps telling us, the Filipino people, “Kayo ang boss ko” (You are my bosses) which means he should listen to what we say. But it should now be obvious to the dumb, dumber and even the dumbest of all that this is nothing but mere lip service – just a lot of sound bite with no sincerity at all. Imagine, the Congress, the Senate, business people, laborers, leftists, rightists, majority, minority and many others of various political persuasions have all agreed on one thing – that it’s time to amend the outdated National Revenue Code of 1997 because inflation has rendered the rates very unreasonable especially to salaried workers.
Even the rich now see the injustice at the fact that they and their employees are taxed at the same bracket – but it seems President BS operates on an entirely different level – out of this world even! – disapproving the measure without thinking of its impact on his poor bosses.
The thing is, the president always seem to say the (un)funniest things whenever he’s out of the country – calling the proposal nothing but a “papogi” attempt to earn the approval of the voting public. (And don’t get us started on his fantastic “tanim bala” comments!) Isn’t Marikina Rep. Miro Quimbo, his ally and so is Senator Sonny Angara – the two politicians who are pushing for the proposal—agreeing that it is timely and could ease the burden on the people?
But then again, does the president care? Of course not! It’s too much to ask or expect of BS to have empathy or sympathy for the plight of working stiffs like us. After all, el presidente belongs to the landed gentry and has probably never ever experienced what it’s like to be in dire straits, putting on a thick face and asking friends or family for a bit of financial help because you are suddenly saddled by a medical emergency. Worse, you don’t earn enough to add the cost of maintenance medicine to the budget, finding out that you have diabetes and high blood pressure (eating cheap unhealthy food because that is all you could afford and not getting enough sleep because you take on extra work to make both ends meet).
Many agree with Party List Rep. Neri Colmenares (is the guy running for the Senate in May?) that the tax reform proposal is an issue of justice for the millions of salaried workers. Despite the clamor of the people, the president remains deaf and uncaring, taking the tack of his so-called economic advisers that it will affect the revenue of government and affect projects. What projects? As far as we know, a lot of those PPP projects have not prospered. Government also kept saying it has a lot of savings and that it has been underspending. So what’s the use of collecting all that money if you’re just keeping it in the bank? Unless you’re saving it up for May 2016, that is.
It’s very disappointing to hear Speaker Sonny Belmonte say that Congress will no longer pursue the measure because President BS is against it and will most likely veto it, so legislators are better off doing other things that are doable and desirable. Desirable? For whom? For the president? Like the BBL, perhaps? So what is Speaker Belmonte trying to say – that their actions and decisions are based on the desires and whims of the president? That they dance to the tune of Malacañang? Whatever happened to independence and separation between the three different branches of government? Lip service as well?
As pointed out by the independent bloc at the House, Congress has the power to override the president’s veto – that is, if the LP and other administration allies are up to it. Legislators are being asked to show their teeth – they have teeth all right but we wouldn’t be surprised if they’re nothing but falsies, with no real power even if they attempt to bite.
We are reminded of this little joke about this minion who is always on the lookout for ways to show his master what a loyal little follower he is. One time, his master, who was feeling a bit bored, told him to jump off a building. The minion’s response: “Sir, yes sir! From what floor?”
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