The House speedily approved a bill on Tuesday exempting Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach from having to pay taxes on her Miss Universe prizes, considering her accomplishment of winning the 2015 Miss Universe Crown.
Wurtzbach’s feat is indeed laudable, considering that it comes after a four-decade drought and much dedication, determination, and sacrifice on her part to succeed. Having brought a major honor to the country, she was recently honored with a street parade and parties, and the tax exemption.
It is only right that her achievement be recognized; these accolades provides comfort—consuelo—for all her troubles, and incentive for her to do more in the future. We her countrymen are proud of her and are happy to provide her with the rewards that she deserves.
Here’s a point to ponder —if she gets an exemption, shouldn’t all achieving Filipinos also be rewarded with tax exemptions?
Boxer-congressman Manny Pacquiao’s verbal sparring with Bureau of Internal Revenue head Kim Henares is now the stuff of legend. The tough BIR commissioner vowed to collect the last penny of taxes on Pacquiao’s boxing earnings due the government. Certainly Pacquiao’s achievements over the years and stature in the sweet science certainly stack up compared to Wurtzbach’s one crown.
Last 27 Aug. 2015, Filipina boxer and mixed martial arts fighter Jujeath Nagaowa expressed her hurt over P5,819 in taxes imposed by the Bureau of Customs on her championship belt, earned for winning the international light flyweight of the Women’s International Boxing Association.
The belt was said to have a dutiable value of P20,147.77; customs duty on that amount was P3,027.13 and value added tax was P2,782. Nagaowa said that computation was arrived at by a BoC employee who compared the belt with another championship belt. In other words, the tax was not based on the actual cost or value of the belt, but on the guesstimate of an employee.
Nagaowa’s friends helped pony up the amount so that she could get the belt, “the only evidence I have that once in my existence” of the honor she earned after 10 rounds of battle in the ring.
Is it that athletes are treated differently? Granted that Wurtzbach’s achievement was extraordinary, all achievements in whatever field may also be said to be extraordinary and special.
Surely all Filipino achievers, whatever their field, deserve the same treatment, courtesy, and respect from their government, considering that they did their best and gave their all for the honor of flag and country.
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Speaking of Filipinos bringing honor to the country, it’s January, the dead of winter in Memphis, TN, and once again time for the sizzling hot 32nd International Blues Challenge which pits some 200 global bands against each other in an epic, massive, sing-off.
Under the auspices of the Philippine Blues Society, the country has been fielding a delegate band to the event for the past several years. In 2014, Brat Pack placed among the top nine bands, the first band from Asia to do so. They repeated their feat last year, another historic achievement.
This year, pioneering blues band Lampano Alley is the chosen group, backed by Tom Colvin’s Blues Asia Network.
Lampano Alley’s veteran members are vocalist and songwriter Binky Lampano, guitarist Edwin “Kwachi” Vergara, bassist Simon Tan, and drummer Rey Vinoya. Joining them for the first time is blues harp player Ian Lofamia.
PBS director Roy Allan Magturo says the band “is in high spirits” and had a smooth rehearsal session in Los Angeles before flying to Memphis. Their one-hour set in the International Showcase yesterday (Tuesday night in Memphis) at the Jerry Lee Lewis theater was a hit.
Magturo: “People loved it! It was an awesome performance with Binky and Ian giving a one-two punch and Simon, Kwachi, and Rey laying the artillery fire. The crowd did not know what hit them. They were pleasantly surprised with the band’s performance.
“During the performance of the first two bands, there were hardly any people in the bar but when Lampano Alley performed, the place was packed full. Proud to be Pinoy!”
Lampano said with characteristic understatement, “We had a great set according to the audience. A bit rough at the start but well enough to garner some new followers and a bit of an ovation.”
Their 14-song setlist for the showcase included Alley originals “Losing You” and “Mess It Up,” and Lofamia’s original instrumental “Rook’s Blues.”
The actual competition will take place on Thursday and Friday (Memphis time).
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