The Fourth Perspective

The proposal to reduce the rate of the Philippine income tax is now a pending bill for legislation. There are various version of the bill but all are aimed at slashing the Individual income tax and the corporate income tax from its current rate of 32 percent and 30 percent respectively. At a glance, the move is a welcome development and may be recognize as a pleasant milestone in history of taxation. But is it? The initial package of reforms, the first of 4, includes the restructuring of the personal income tax system and the expansion of the value added tax (VAT) base by reducing the coverage of its exemptions, the DOF said in a statement. The maximum rate of personal income tax will be reduced over time to 25% from the current 32%, except for the  highest income earners . Also included in the package is raising  fuel excise tax , and restructuring the excise tax on automobiles with exceptions for buses, trucks, cargo vans, jeeps, jeepney substitutes, and special purpose

Once again, the failure of representation in the Philippines had manifested itself from the malaise called democracy. A government of the people, for the people and by the people is the preeminence of democratic principle that has remained elusive and beyond reach since the birth of the Philippine Republic.  Almost always, and not only in the Philippines, the poignant reality is that this cherished democratic principle had always veered away towards a subtle form of socialism due perhaps to its incompatibility with the domineering and pervasive culture that is inherent in a capitalist society. The democratic principle that is well esteemed had stagnated   into a mere theory of idealism that seems to approximate the qualities of a myth. In practice, it is actually a government… of some of the people…for some of the people…and by some of the people. When democracy promotes equality in freedom, what resulted is equality in misery. As democracy prided itself to be the champion of social j

Chinese state media had divulged a plan to reclaim the Scarborough Shoal (The Shoal) and convert it into a Chinese pseudo island. US Intelligence and the US military had hinted that there are indications that the Chinese may attempt to do just that. The Shoal is approximately 130 kilometers off the coast of Zambales, and almost has the same distance from Manila to Dagupan City in the province of Pangasinan, which is a 2-3 hours drive northward. The Shoal is well within the Philippines 200 miles exclusive economic zone. It is a traditional fishing ground on that side of Luzon. The plan will result into the establishment of a permanent mini base that will shape and close the coordinates on China’s nine dash line, effectively fencing out, and locking down the western side of the Philippines. The area within these coordinates extending from Spratly to the Shoal will eventually become off limits to any vessel or aircraft. The Philippine military bases and that of the US under EDCA will be

Survivalism   is a movement of individuals or groups (called   survivalists   or   preppers ) who are actively preparing for emergencies, including possible disruptions in social or political order, on scales from local to international. Survivalists often acquire emergency medical and   self-defense training, stockpile food and water, prepare to become   self-sufficient , and build structures (e.g., a survival retreat   or an   underground shelter ) that may help them survive a   catastrophe - Wikipedia. As the definition suggest it’s a pluralistic and an individualistic approach to survival. It promotes the basic primal instinct of self preservation on a personal and a much localized scale. The surge in media programs particularly in television and the World Wide Web promotes shows and literatures on survivalism that amounts to no more but a total endorsement of this concept towards acceptance by the public at large. Acceptance of the idea that a person can survive alone even u

Article XVIII, Section 25, of the Constitution states that “foreign military bases, troops, or facilities shall not be allowed in the Philippines except under a treaty duly concurred in by the Senate and, when the Congress so requires, ratified by a majority of the votes cast by the people in a national referendum held for that purpose, and recognized as a treaty by the other contracting State.” The Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement or EDCA between the Philippines and the United States was declared not unconstitutional by the Philippine Supreme court in an en banc resolution, since according to them, it is an executive agreement, hence, it does not require senate and congressional ratification as required by Article 28, Section 25 of the Philippine Constitution. Well that does it, the highest court in the land had proclaimed its judgment. From here on, everyone must comply and respect the mighty decision. But wait. Do I see a protrusion? Is that a loose end? That phrase &quo