Hontiveros urges BIR, Comelec to cut 20% tax on election service honorarium

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Sunday called on the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) not to increase teachers’ 2022 election service honorarium tax to 20%.

In Vice President Leni Robredo's weekly radio program, Hontiveros said that imposing a higher tax would be “wrong timing” amid the steep increase in the prices of fuel and other basic goods.

Furthermore, teachers might not be able to earn much despite their service during the May 9 polls.

“Hinihimok ko po ang BIR at ang Comelec, at ako po ay susulat sa kanila, ‘wag naman magpataw ng mas mataas na withholding tax eh kasi naman po, wag nilang ipipilit iyan. Napaka-wrong timing nitong balak nilang gawin, napakalupit na tax increase sa kabila pa nga ng pagtaas na ng mga presyo ng lahat ng bilihin at serbisyo gawa nga ng excise tax pati sa langis,” she said.

(I urge the BIR and the Comelec, and I will write to them, don’t impose a higher withholding tax on the teachers’ election service honorarium. This is not the time and it was cruel to increase the tax amid the rise in the prices of all goods and services due to the excise tax on fuel.)

Hontiveros noted that during the 2019 elections, the tax on the honorarium was just 5% but it quadrupled to 20% after three years.

“Kapag nabawasan na 20% na ‘yung maliit na ngang ilang libo na matatanggap ng ating mga guro, eh ano na lang ang matitira sa kanila?” she added.

(When the small amount that our teachers will receive is still reduced by 20%, what will be left for them?)

Several teachers earlier flocked to the Comelec headquarters in Manila to ask the poll body to remove the 20% tax on their May 9 election service honoraria and instead increase their compensation.

Newly appointed poll commissioner George Garcia said he supported the teachers, but it would be up to Congress and the BIR to decide on the issue.

In December 2021, the Department of Education said they would appeal to the Comelec to increase the honoraria for teachers who will serve in the upcoming elections, despite the poll body rejecting their request for a higher honorarium.

Marcoses’ estate tax debt

Further, Hontiveros said that the tax liability of the Marcos family amounting to P203.819 billion should be paid as even common individuals are required to do so on their own.

“Tayo ngang mga indibidwal, ‘yung mga utang natin binayaran natin. Lalo na ‘yung dapat may malaking base naman para magbayad,” she added.

(Us individuals pay our debts. Those who must have a large base to pay should especially do so as well.)

BIR Commissioner Caesar Dulay said on Wednesday that he sent a written demand to the family of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos last year regarding their tax liabilities amounting to P203.819 billion.

Meanwhile, the Presidential Commission on Good Government rebuffed claims made by the camp of former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that his family's tax liabilities were under discussion.

At the Comelec-organized presidential debate on Saturday, the presidential candidates also turned their eyes on the said P203 billion in estate tax which the government has yet to collect from the Marcoses. — DVM, GMA News