The Blurring Lines Between Media and Politics
February 20, 2010
sHEsPEAk: by eldred d. cole Read more
Cagayan de Oro, Alas, Oka and the Rubberstamp
February 20, 2010
SCINTILLA : By Butch Z. Bagabuyo Read more
Taxes, Marriage and Singlehood
February 20, 2010
Okay, so I’m one of those singularly single. But I am not stating that I am commitment-challenged. I am commitment, I commit, and in fact I am “committee”! (sHEsPEAk dictionary means commit to something, a cause, a project, etc., but not to someone). There may be several reasons why a person chooses to be unhitched, but is it a crime to opt to stay solo?
Other people and even the government believe so. People who take upon themselves to correct someone else’s status tend to look at single people as a bacterium under a microscope, weighed and found wanting. When they ask me if I am already married, and I say no, haven’t thought about it, they look at me as if I committed a mortal sin. Worst, they would ask: “What’s wrong with you?”
The government likewise considers singlehood as a crime. They make us single persons pay more taxes than the married ones, and for me personally, it’s punishment for a crime I haven’t committed. You see, as a government worker with fixed monthly income, I have to have my income tax withheld per month and it has to be zero by April 15. Since I am single, I don’t have tax exemptions (like dependents, being head of the family, etc.) to my name except my premium with the GSIS. So, I ended up paying taxes which if computed will amount to three months of my annual income including my bonus. So, all in all, in twelve months a year I only get to have ten months salary actually received, and without bonus.
Why does it have to be that way? The married ones with children require more services from the government than us single people, why do we have to pay more than what we are getting from the government? It is so unfair. They choose to have a family and I choose to have none, and I get to pay more.
The family, who requires more services from the government like health benefits, farm-to-market roads, legal services, utility services like electric, water, etc., is paying less than I. Plus, I do not contribute to the government’s over-flowing problems like spawning spoiled brats or having progenies who will become the criminals or worst, politicians in the future.
Look, we have a huge problem with population, right? The more Filipinos are born everyday, the poorer we become, the poorer we become, the more sick the country is going to get. But here’s the thing, why not tax more every couple (married or not) with children more than two, than reward them like we do now by giving them exemptions per dependent? If a family has two children, one child or none at all, they get tax rebates or credits or tax refunds and get more benefits from the government, like dental, rice allowance, free medical or legal services, and subsidized utility bills. I tell you, people will scramble to the nearest PopCom office for advice what’s the best family planning method to use rather than pay a higher tax.
Caution though. Let us leave it to the couples to decide what type of family planning method they would use: natural or artificial. The government and the Church should not interfere in the choices of the couples; they just have to make available all the resources to them. Because I know, there will be arguments that a backlash following this notion will be that couples will result to artificial family planning like pills, ligation or vasectomy. So? Artificial and natural family planning methods have one common goal: and we all know what that is. So what is the difference between the two? Why is it that the other is considered wrong and the other is right? Who gets to decide the wrongness and rightness of either? Well, let’s discuss that in another time.
Let us admit that the single population is growing. Whether they are singled or single people, by choice or by circumstance, they are multiplying by the minute. Ten years from now, there might be more than single people than the married ones, so why punish them by making them take the brunt of keeping the country fiscally sound? The gall of those married people to suggest that in order for me to avoid paying more taxes is to get married. Hah, exchange one problem with another? Just the same I would still be paying taxes even if I am married. So instead of lamenting having to pay higher taxes now, I will be bawling because I have to pay taxes still and have a family to tend to. Gosh, that would be like jumping into the fire after I got out of the frying pan.
To curb our ever growing population problem, why not do it in taxes, rather than have an open war between the government and the Church regarding the type of family planning method to use? Single people unite! We deserve to be heard, and heard shall we be. Enough making us pay for the choices we make. (For comments and/or violent reactions e-mail me at coi_416@hotmail.com).
When Men are the Victims
February 20, 2010
sHeSpeaks: By Fiscal/Mami/Sai Eldred Cole Read more
Cagayan de Oro’s Newest Pride
February 20, 2010
Do we have our own product that we can be proud of? Really? What is that? I’ve been residing in Cagayan de Oro since I went to Law school here but, every time I travel to another place I’ve always been asked by what product or landmark Cagayan de Oro is known for. I’ve always been a little disconcerted to say I couldn’t articulate of anything.
I am an uproot from Iligan City, and aside from the waterfalls, Iligan is known for Chedeng peanuts and sukang pinakurat. What about Cagayan de Oro City then? I couldn’t say pineapple because it is Bukidnon’s product, not even pastilles because it is Camiguin’s. Even if I shout to my heart’s content that we have SM mall here but let’s take it, SM is like mushroom, it grows everywhere. Okay, we have the Lim Ket Kai Mall, but most cities in the Philippines have malls, small ones, big ones and extra big like the Mall of Asia.
Okay, so we have white water rafting, but poor me, I never had the chance to experience it because it feels like I’ve been robbed every time I even think about doing it, it is so disgustingly expensive, that with my meager salary as a government employee, I just couldn’t afford it. Short of robbing the bank, it’s really beyond my means.
So, what about the caves? Palawan has lots of them, even Bohol is proud of having several of them that you could just possibly take one home if you could afford the price.
I’m not saying that Cagayan de Oro has nothing to consider as its own – we have the night café, the night market, and being the gateway of business events is not something to be frowned upon. We can be proud to be known as one city which can offer a lot of business opportunities. We have the ports, the bus terminals and the airport that cater to the three major thoroughfares of the universe of commerce. We are the commercial city from the south. Davao City cannot claim this because of the absence of a viable port in which to transport products and passengers to Cebu City and Manila. We are the center of business of the south. Period.
But you know what? Aside from business, I do believe that we have more to offer from outsiders other than business opportunities, even if somewhat we don’t have lots to offer with regards to nature or natural beauty spots or tourism destination. Let’s take Cagayan de Oro City music. What if Davao City has produced the Freestyle and Make Your Mama Proud (MYMP) bands, with the talented people we have in our City of Golden Friendship, we can breed artists; in fact, we have already bred our own kind of artists. No, I’m not talking about Bulua scandal or Xavier scandal, or other scandals we can count our fingers on, they were not art anyway.
Let’s take this new band who is launching its first album entitled “Love Without Logic”, they call themselves the “Drizzle”, but they are not drizzling with talent, they are pouring it in. They are one of the new bands that hit the mainstream music scene that is often if not always ruled by imperial Manila. And all the five members of the band are from Cagayan de Oro City, three of them are even graduates of Xavier University namely: Edith “Vivi” Viduya, Jr., Frederico “Bong” Flores and Wilbert Tan. The other two are Mario “Maya” Reyes and John Gado. With their unified goal of playing edgy pop music together, the group decided to pack their things to try their luck in Manila to share their unique sound to all of the country. And fortunately, inked a three-year contract with Galaxy record.
Launching their first album in Cagayan de Oro City, the band will be performing at the new Pulse Live Music Venue (formerly Excite) on February 3, 2007 at 6:00 in the evening. This will be their first performance back to Cagayan de Oro City after recording their first album. Let us not be stingy with our support to our new pride of Cagayan, nay, let us be there to welcome them and be proud of them as we are proud to be a Cagay-anon. This is not a paid advertisement, this a public notice of what we as Cagay-anons are capable of. (For comments and/or violent reactions e-mail me at coi_416@hotmail.com) (Written January 9, 2007 and published by Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro)
Modern Life and Other Inconveniences
December 14, 2008
Modern Life and Other Inconveniences
SHESPEAK: by Fiscal Eldred Cole
Press Freedom and the Killing of Journalists (Part II)
November 23, 2008
Press Freedom and the Killing of Journalists
(Second Part of Two Series)
By Fiscal Eldred Cole
The killing of radio commentator Arecio Padriagao of Radyo Natin of Gingoog City last week is the first in region 10 since 2001. The issue of journalist killings therefore is no longer an echo from the distance but a resounding clap of thunder just outside the door. Read more
Press Freedom and the Killing of Journalists
November 23, 2008
Press Freedom and the Killing of Journalists
(First Part of Two Series)
By Fiscal Eldred Cole
Once upon a time, way before I was born, the Philippines had “the freest press in Asia.” It was the era of newspapers where journalists were respected, editorial opinions were revered, and being in the media is considered noble, next in rank with that of the parish priest. Sadly at present, the Philippines is now described as the “most dangerous place for journalists next to Iraq” and “the most murderous place in the world for journalists.” If there is an “Oscar” or “Grammy” for most dangerous place to be a journalist, the Philippines would have won the award since the Marcos regime, in fact, we would have been in the “hall of fame” since then. Read more
If Men Get Pregnant
November 16, 2008
IF MEN GET PREGNANT…
By Fiscal/ Sai Eldred Col Read more
Sex Drive and Violence
November 7, 2008
Sex Drive and Violence
I was with some of my women friends a couple of weeks ago, and they implored me that since I’ve been discussing women’s concerns in this column, I might as well keep it going. In fact, they taunted me to take on marriage, children, and sex. Boy, such a gigantic task for a person who is not in authority to talk on these particular subjects. Asking me to write about marriage, children and sex is like asking the Pope to make a treatise about hip-hop. But, being a person who does not buckle away from a good challenge, why not? It’s like having my tooth extracted, it can be done but the process is very painful. Read more
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