Here's a quick break from my already exhausted body.

I can't sleep. My eyes won't shut. My mind is still working.

Now I'm stuck with the last line, blinked at the cursor for 10 seconds...

I have to end this or i might write things that i would regret later on.

Roger's the new king of clay!

Roger's win at the french definitely solidified his status as the greatest tennis player of all time. His number of grandslam titles now equals sampras' 14. So,what m0re can i say? The king has finally returned.

American Idol Big Shocker: Kris Allen Wins AI Crown

I have nothing against Kris Allen winning this season’s American Idol since I believe he embodies the quality that one may look for in an “idol.” In other words, he is more “idol” material than the provocative, controversial, most-talked-about Adam Lambert is. Give the man a break; he sure can hit those high notes like nobody can. I had never seen anyone took on an Aerosmith song and nailed it except for Adam. He is the most contemporary, most original singer to ever grace the AI stage. The screeching may sometimes be over the top and too “broadway,” as Simon put it, but heck, the guy is so talented and can take any forms of music genre head on. He may not have won the idol crown and the numerous endorsements attached to it, but he will definitely go down in history as one iconic singer who knows what he wants and where to take his career. The title may have been his passport to instant fame but it is never a guarantee take for instance, Taylor Hicks, Season 5 winner who had been dropped from his record label due to poor record sales. The Soul Patrol, as he called himself, never really capitalized on his mass appeal and in the end it is his runner-up Katherine Mcphee who got all the endorsements, publicities and even cameo roles in CSI and House Bunny.

Another AI reject who made big in the world stage was no other than the Dream Girls star herself Jennifer Hudson. Who would ever think that this big belter had once been selling burgers in the street, auditioned for American Idol, got eliminated in the first round but was brought back again via wild card. Her journey in American Idol was cut short when she along with La Toya London, and Fantasia Barrino (eventual winner) were in the Bottom 3. She was voted off from the show despite the judges’ pimping and her outstanding rendition of the “Circle of Life.” Then I realized that the show was not keenly about finding a talent but rather finding a star. There is the difference. Hudson is a definite standout in terms of talent, but as an artist and potential album sales grosser, the public was not so sure. Chris Daughtry, the grammy award winner, suffered the same fate as he landed fifth on Season 5 despite his vocal prowess and rock appeal. There were rumors going around surrounding the alleged conspiracy in the show, as to how the management could manipulate the votes in favor of one contestant. Last year, the viewing public was more vocal on this allegation when David Archuleta, Season 7 front-runner and crowd favorite lost to David Cook, in the most memorable season finale ever. Some thought that this was due to David A’s overbearing father that angered the management, costing the show big bucks when David’s father allegedly forced his son to insert a line from the famous Sean Kingston song, “Beautiful Girls” in one of his performances. This might have given the management the wrong impression that the kid simply could not be controlled lest his father is around. Others think that the management was trying to correct their previous mistakes on Daughtry that they were now banking on Cook as the next big thing. David A’s maturity could also be a point that they considered him as a high risk to invest on.

Thinking it over, I would like to make corrective remarks on my previous statement when I said that the show was not keenly about finding a talent, but rather finding a star (who is a potential money-maker.) After all, business is business. Will I still watch the show next year? The answer is YES but with the least expectation.

Here is a scenario:

One day a tax agent knocks at your door and asks you whether you have already paid your taxes, what would be your reaction? Infuriated? Maybe. Glad? Probably not. It is our natural human aspiration to live a simple and easy life—a tax-free life. How we wish that every time we get out of bed in the morning, we think of nothing but what to have for breakfast or clothes to wear the next day so on and so forth. But here is the thing, we simply cannot.

As the cliché goes, only two things in life are certain: death and taxes (as certain taxes apply after we die). Death is a fact. More than that, it is a reality. We are all going to become food for the worms as John Keating put it in the movie Dead Poet Society. Likewise, taxes affect us much in the same way as the air that we breathe. For instance, the moment you swipe your credit card for payment or watch your favorite flick on the big screen or party out with friends at this local club or treat yourself to a day of rejuvenating spa; even at work, taxation comes into play in the form of deduction from your monthly salary. There is simply no escape. Many have tried to evade the payment of taxes and their commonality—tax fraud cases being filed against them in the court of justice. Some were even brave enough to think that the long arms of the law would not catch up on them in the belief that they are too significant or powerful to be admonished.

There are no exemptions from paying our taxes—whether you are in politics or in showbizness or just an ordinary taxpaying public. Take the case of Richard Gomez who is likely to be convicted once his tax fraud case reaches the Court of Tax Appeals. If proven guilty of the complaint filed against him which includes:
1. failure to file income tax return for 2000-20003;
2. failure to declare his income of 1.8 Million from ABS-CBN and 1 Million from GMA-7 and his source for the acquisition of the Posh Forbes property amounting to more than 50 Million,
he will be serving a jail term of not less than two years but not more than ten years in addition to P 100, 000 he is mandated to pay. As the saying goes, there are no sacred cows in the fight against tax evaders. If that is the case, what is the reason behind people evading their taxes if they knew all along that they would be dealt with accordingly? The public has no sentiments for lawbreakers especially if they are those who live their lives in uppity. What they initially thought as a sure gain was in fact a misnomer for outright irreversible loss, something to regret about for the rest of their lives.

To rephrase the question posted earlier on: Is there really a need to pay our taxes?

First, let us put a distinction between tax evasion and tax avoidance. While there is a legal difference between the two, both will result in lesser collection efficiency on the part of the tax system and tax administration. To others, there is a very thin line between avoidance and evasion for which reason evasion is oftentimes mistaken as mere avoidance. By tax avoidance, we mean a legitimate scheme for paying a lesser tax while evasion is totally prohibited under the law.

A recent online poll was conducted by concerned society groups with the subject—“Would you willingly pay your taxes if you know that the government is using the taxes for the common good?” The result was not surprising. Eighteen votes were cast; seventeen answered in the affirmative, that they are willing to pay their taxes even if they are not forced to pay under threat or imprisonment, and only ONE voted “No.” This goes to show that despite the recent global financial crisis that is plaguing our country and the whole world, the Filipino people still believe in the necessity of paying our taxes. Here’s why:

1. The growth of the domestic economy is largely dependent upon the productive effort and spending behavior of both the government and private sector. The government and the private sector are interdependent with each other.

2. The productive effort and spending behavior of government are dependent upon the revenues and taxes it generates and the quality of its governance. All the goods and services provided by the government make up the public sector of the economy. The government pays for most of the services with money it collected from taxes, fees and charges, otherwise funds are obtained through local or foreign borrowings.

3. The productive effort and spending behavior of the private sector is influenced by the availability of the country’s productive resources such as labor, capital, its natural resources, technology and the business environment which includes the quality of leadership both in the public and private sector.

4. Business is market-driven. It is influenced by economic forces such as the law of supply and demand, profit, prices, competition, and distribution of income but not taxation. Taxation is neutral in the sense that it should be the least consideration in the decision to venture into business, to sustain or to close it. In other words, what makes up a successful business is not determined by how much taxes it pays but by investment decisions that are based on sound economic grounds.

Based on the 2007 BIR Annual Report the basic source of revenue collection comes from taxpayers’ voluntary payments, followed by preliminary and final assessment and delinquent accounts. Here is the thing, although taxes are enforced proportional contributions levied by the State by virtue of its sovereignty for the support of the government and for all its public needs, the BIR relies on the taxpayers’ voluntary declarations. Therefore, the talks going around like bushfire that BIR forces their taxpayers to declare more so they would pay bigger taxes, something to that effect, are absolutely false and baseless. It is not for the BIR to coerce the taxpaying public, much worse, to threaten or intimidate in order to reap bigger collections. Its powers are categorically defined in the 1997 National Internal Revenue Code.

The reliance on voluntary declarations has its roots on the country’s current lack of sophisticated technologies that can maximize access to third party information including bank records and lack of resources. This method of self-assessment inarguably downgrades the enforcement aspect of taxation since the tax authority is now dependent on voluntary compliance of the determination of the correct tax. One my appropriately ask, can the government still attain its budgetary objectives by relying on the assumption that, on their free will taxpayers will pay the correct tax? Phased otherwise, what then can propel taxpayers to comply with the changing tax laws that are man-made? Danilo Duncano, CPA, a former chief of staff of the Office of the Deputy Commissioner Operations Group, has an answer to that when he said, ““Tax laws are best complied based on a perception that violations are immediately and easily detected, sanctions or penalties are swiftly imposed. If the tax system cannot build and sustain such perception, then the tax administration will have difficulty performing its task in meeting the budgetary needs of the state. However, if such perception exists then the government can rely on the assumption that there is a high degree of tax compliance among taxpayers. This level of consciousness is even strengthened when the government is credible in the way it spends its tax collections, whether such spending is really for the common good or only for the benefit of a favored few.”

In 2007 alone, the total National Government Tax Revenue amounted to P932.937 Billion and out of this amount, 76.49% came from BIR’s tax collections and remittances, which was 75.91% higher than 2006. Based on this statistics, we can say that tax is indeed the lifeblood of a nation. Without taxes, how can the government support its programs for national development? Of course, we can resort to outside sources like foreign subsidies and financial aids but those are extremely impractical considering that we have to cover for interest.

In case you do not know, as of February 2006, the national government’s total indebtedness has ballooned to 3.96 trillion; 2.17 trillion in domestic debts and 1.79 trillion in foreign debt. For the year’s proposed 1.053 trillion budget, interest payment alone, at 340 Billion, account for 32% of the entire fiscal pie. There is no reason why we rank 37 out of 206 with foreign debts.

As pointed out earlier, no one is exempt from the payment of taxes. Where the money goes or how is it being channeled whether for the common good or for the good of a select few, nothing justifies the non-payment of taxes. This may sound brute and uncompromising but it also entails a challenge: To choose the right leaders whose loyalty lies more on the people than on their pockets.

So the next time you think of evading your taxes, think of the millions of pesos that the government loses for infrastructure developments, free healthcare and insurance services, educational programs, housing projects for the homeless, contingency funds in times of calamities, better roads, bridges, airports, wharfs, etcetera. These things may not benefit us directly, but it is the sense of being able to contribute a portion of your income for the general good that matters most.

With that spirit of generosity, paying our taxes transcends from a mere obligation to just plain responsibility.

PACMAN'S SWEET VICTORY!

I am not a huge Manny Pacquiao fan….

until now.

I am one of those who flocked Hotel Camilla last Sunday in the hope of seeing the game live. The world obviously went into a full stop. No traffic, no nothing! Even the sidewalk vendors and pedicab drivers were no longer visible as if they vanished from the face of the earth. It was one of those days where everyone was practically glued to his or her seat and all you can hear was the deafening silence of the over tensed crowd rooting for the people’s champ. Eyes fixed on the tv set and arms crossed on their waists, the people started to loosen up when Martin sang the national hymn. Round one.
Manny was the shoo-in winner. He was constantly on the move, instigating Hatton to strike in every direction but to no avail. He was too agile for Hatton to keep up.

When things turned favorably for Manny, the people inside the hotel could no longer contain their excitement. Some were already on their feet, clapping and cheering. Others held on to their cellphones waiting for confirmation. The hotel turned into a circus when Manny delivered that left blow in the second round that ultimately determined the outcome of the match. For a brief moment, Hatton was lying there unconscious. While the latter was being given medical attention, team pacquiao were already inside the ring giving their congratulations. Manny was doing his normal rituals until he was nabbed away from the crowd for a brief interview. He was even labeled by Bob Arum as “the greatest fighter to have ever lived.” Hatton finally regained consciousness but still half-dazed by the turn of events. If I were to describe him, he was like a child who just pooped in his diapers!

Manny has now five championship belts under his name that would probably increase in number so long as he continues to fight. Physical deterioration or other interests might be an obstacle but let us not dwell on it just yet. Let us just talk about the game instead. After all, that is what we are here for.

It was a very smooth and quick fight for Manny. We had seen him struggled in his previous matches against Morales and Barrera but this time, he really delivered. It was a flawless, well-deserved win and I could not imagine any other way to end it. His movements were accurate and spontaneous. It was as if everything worked out as planned, his every step measured. I could mistake him for a remote-controlled robot ready to do his master’s bidding.
Who could resist such a warrior on a mission? No, not even a world-class fighter who came from a much stronger lineage. No amount of words or insults could dishearten this warrior who was out to prove his worth and yet remained humble until the very end. Manny is that kind of fighter and for that he was victorious. With this win, Manny is said to have broken boundaries. He showed the whole world who we are and what we are capable of. Moreover, it has slowly brought the country back to the map with a resounding cry of recognition that we, too, can be world-class. Scrap our political differences and we are no different from any first world countries. Agree?

Save the speech some other time. On a lighter note, I need to make one urgent phone call to check on my winnings! Hahaha!!

See you in the next Pacquiao fight!

Hello 2009!

Happy New Year. My first entry for 2009! After the long Christmas holidays, I’m pretty sure that we’re all deadset on going to the gym (in my case, the badminton court) to drop that extra pounds we’ve reaped from overeating. But before we resort to muscle pains and stomach crunches, allow me first to give a roundup of the events that occurred in the past weeks.

First on the list is the wedding celebration of my cousin Marsha. Finally, one of my closest relatives tied a knot. It was a simple ceremony officiated by a judge who happens to be a distant relative. Although we wanted so much to see her walk down the aisle in a church wedding, that is something we have to forego this time. With or without a priest to solemnize the occasion, the truth remains---she’s already off the market.

Then there was Kuya Chad’s birthday. I know I owe him an apology for my no-show at his party. It was unintentional due to the bad weather. My only way of getting there is a four-wheel drive but unfortunately my Feroza figured in a crash days before. Now what used to be a shiny, newly painted car has been reduced to a scrap of twisted metal on its course to a junk shop. Thanks to the pair of idiots whose brain is like the size of a walnut! Thinking about them now makes my blood boil.

There was also the local badminton tournament sponsored by the former City Mayor of Dipolog who celebrated his birthday on the 28th of December. I was teamed up to my former partner Al for the second time around. I was supposed to pair up with Bogs in Class E but the committee didn’t allow it. Unlike our dismal performance at a previous tournament, Al and I were able to clinch the third place and were almost at the brink of winning our last game, which could have put us in second and a shot to redemption against a pair whom we almost beat in the earlier rounds. I won’t dig deeper on the details of the game as this will only bring back the heartaches. Hahaha!

Anyway, I hope everyone made the most of the holidays. I don’t know when will be the next time we’ll be given long vacation break such as this. I was able to finish Book 3 of the Twilight series and it didn’t disappoint me a bit, but not as convincingly good as Harry Potter though! That’s all for now. I hope 2009 would be a more fruitful year for all of us, and please (looks up to the heavens), more exciting issues to blog about.

I’m ready for my crunches!

Stephenie Meyer's Twilight

With all the media frenzy, great reviews, online forums, and fan blogs that twilight seem to be getting these days, I swore not to impart my own point of views on the matter, but I simply can’t help it. The book, the motion picture had got me hooked just as Harry Potter did four years ago.

It’s quite extraordinary to come across with a fictional book, seemingly contradicting the stories we came to grow up with as "folklore" ranging from bloodsucking vampires and werewolves (New Moon), to, what’s worse, vampires with aversion to human blood and that glitter in the sunlight! A touch of romance or more appropriately called, “kilig” factor added spice to this rather amusing plot that we, Filipinos, often fall victims of. That made it so addictive, so hard to put down.

I first heard about Twilight from Heidee (a college classmate) but didn’t put much effort in doing my research on it over the internet-something I do occasionally when something catches my attention, books included, as I was more concerned in finding another book which I’ve had read previously, something about a memoir of a father with a cancer-stricken child. Later did I discover that the book was entitled, “Death Be Not Proud.” I didn’t pass the chance of sending my aunt in Germany an IM to have her post an order online for the said book since the latter wasn’t available in any bookstore in the country. That’s what happens when desperation sets in.

Twilight is a love story between a vampire named Edward and a girl named Bella. Bella’s parents were divorced and went on their separate ways. Her father, Charlie, settled in a small town called Forks while her mother remarried and had to move from one place to another with her new husband Phil. Bella decided to live with her father in Forks and faced a completely different life. For one, she missed the sunny weather in Phoenix where she previously lived. Another, she faced the ordeal of spending most of the time with her fathere whom she hardly knew, and endured the pain of starting all over again that includes school and gaining new friends.

But Bella didn’t have the hardest time gaining friends. Infact, she instantly became the “toy” of the school, just like in first grade. She felt normal, at least. Everything went pretty well for Bella until she met Edward Cullen. Their first meeting was the oddest of odds as Bella got the impression that Edward didn't like her, actually it was more than a dislike. He was fuming with anger, occasionally throwing basilisk glares at her in class as if she was something to devour. Bella attempted to confront him but in the next few days, Edward was no longer visible in school. Bella waited anxiously for him in the school cafeteria everyday hoping to get a glimpse of the Cullens and hopefully Edward too. To her dismay, he wasn’t with them. As if somebody cared where one of them had gone. The Cullens had always been different—aside from their god-like looks and stance, they seemed not to develop fondness to people outside their own private circle.

It took Bella some time to figure out that Edward isn’t the typical boy you bump into everyday— he's rather aloof and reserved, More than that, he was something even Bella herself couldn't precisely put into words. But truth hit her- Edward was a vampire. That explained his superhuman speed/strength when he saved Bella at the point of death, his cold and electrifying touch, his marble-like complexion, his eyes that change colors depending on his mood, his glistering skin under the sun and most all, his ability to read minds. Despite of that, Bella didn’t fear him. Her fascination of Edward grew bigger as she bit by bit put in the missing pieces. Their love for one another was surreal.

How could a human like Bella fit in or even wished to bind herself to a damned life, a cursed life, just to be with Edward? There were payoffs to her actions and that you have to read and find out for yourself.

As expected, the movie reaped praises from the viewers for sticking to the books mostly. Personally, whenever there is a motion picture coming up and it’s based on a novel, I make it to a point to read the book first. That way, I can better understand the movie. So when I heard about the trailer, I went to grab the first two novels at Fully Books (Ayala Center Cebu) notwithstanding the overexcited crowd piling up at the counter. I finished Twilight just in time for the premier night but had to travel to Zamboanga just to catch it. Too bad for me.

Anyway, I’m a hundred page short to finishing Book 2: New Moon and it’s much better than Twilight. So keep posted for another blog on this one. (fingers crossed!)Until then, Merry Christmas and keep your throats intact!