BPO workers call for tax holiday

CATHY MIRANDA / INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Call center agents joined the “Million People March” in the business district of Makati on Friday to call for a three-month tax holiday in exchange of the public funds lost to plunder.

Ian Porquia, president of BPO Industry Employees’ Network (BIEN), said workers deserved “to receive (their)salary in full instead of adding more money to the funds that politicians can plunder.”

Porquia pointed out that the business process outsourcing industry, considered a “sunshine industry,” has 700,000 employees.

“Our taxes reach P1.4 billion (a month). That means in one year the taxes that we pay amount to P17 billion,” he said.

“If (Janet Lim-) Napoles can steal P10 billion, we at the call center industry can give P17 billion (to the government). But what are we getting in return?”

Porquia asked the crowd one by one if they found any good benefits afforded by law.

“Wala! (None!),” the people answered.

He also lamented how the Bureau of Internal revenue would deduct substantial amounts from their bonus incentives.

“That bonus should have went to our families,” he said, adding that it doesn’t help that the government has allowed prices of basic commodities to increase.

“What if we don’t pay our taxes?…Because our taxes are being stolen by those in the government!” Porquia shouted, eliciting cheers from protesters.

He said if the government could give businesses five-year tax holidays then ordinary workers should also be entitled to at least three months of tax holiday.

“Pork barrel abolish now! Tax holiday now!” Porquia said as the crowd joined in.