BIR reminds Pia Wurtzbach on homecoming: Pay the right taxes

Everyone's waiting for Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach's homecoming — even the taxman.

With Pia set to return to the Philippines, Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares made a gentle reminder to the beauty queen to make sure to pay the right taxes for the prizes she won in last month's Miss Universe pageant.

These include $300,000 in cash (around P4.1 million), a modeling contract, annual monthly salary, a scholarship, among other prizes.

The BIR said Pia would be due for the maximum 32 percent rate for these, as well as all her other income for 2015.

"Ipinapatupad lang naman namin ang batas. Ang piso ni Maria at piso ni Juan, walang exempted sa batas," Henares said in a report by Rida Reyes on "State of the Nation" on Monday.

According to the Tax Code of the Philippines, the country has a tax treaty with the United States. This means that the taxes she would pay in the US would be deducted from her tax bill in the Philippines. Still, Pia needs to make sure she has certification for these.

Some lawmakers are pushing for measures to exempt Pia, the country's first Miss Universe since 1973, from paying taxes on her winnings. This was the case for former beauty queen Gemma Cruz-Araneta, who was given tax exemption by Congress after winning the country's first Miss International Title in 1964.

Winning prizes for religious, charitable, and scientific, artistic, educational, and literary achievement are tax-exempt. Pia's prizes, unfortunately, don't fall within these, according to tax lawyer Jan Paulo Diño.

"Puwedeng sabihin ng iba na artistic ang kaniyang pagkapanalo, but still, 'di siya puwede i-exempt dahil under the law, dapat ang sinalihan mong contest ay 'di mo kusang sinalihan, at wala ka dapat obligasyon sa organization after winning," said Diño, who advised the beauty queen to settle her taxes correctly.

"We recognize the pride and recognition that they give us, pero the law has to apply to everyone. It's our responsibility." —JST, GMA News