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Taxing the future

Update: DOF suspends Order 17-09.

In my appearance in Boy Abunda’s “Private Conversations” many years ago, I was asked what’s my idea of being rich, and I replied, “just to have enough money in my wallet to be able to buy a good book I want when I see one.”

I said that because in my struggling days, I would have to save to be able to buy a book I want and by the time I have enough money for it, the book is gone. It was so frustrating.

With credit cards, half of my problem is solved. But there is still the problem of cost. Prices of bookpaper-bound books usually cost about P500. Much higher, up to P1,000 plus, if its hardbound.

At this time of budget scrimping, books usually are the first item to be deleted in the list in favor of the more basic necessities of food, shelter, transport, clothes and cellphone text. Which is a pity because books are nourishment for the mind and soul which is important to be a productive human being.

That’s why the Department of Finance’s idea of imposing taxes on imported books is undesirable. It has the effect of depriving the mind of people in the Philippines of food. It’s not only destroying the people’s wellbeing (what is a person with nothing in his mind) but also the nation’s soul.

An article by Robin Hemley, “The Great Book Blockade of 2009” related that the DOF, which is hardpressed trying to raise funds to sustain Gloria Arroyo’s corruption riddled government, came up with this not-so-brilliant idea when a custom examiner named Rene Agulan opened a shipment of the best-selling novel, “Twilight” by Stephanie Meyer. Agulan demanded that duty be paid on the books.

That was a violation of the “Florence Agreement on the Importation of Educational, Scientific and Cultural Materials” which states that the contracting States (that includes the Philippines) “undertake not to apply customs duties or other charges on, or in connection with, the importation of … books, publications and documents… educational, scientific and cultural materials..”

Last March 24, the DOF issued a clarificatory guideline which imposes one percent rate of duty on educational, scientific, historical or cultural books and materials or five percent rate of duty for books and materials other than educational, scientific, historical or cultural and “those books or raw materials not to be used for publishing and its related activities.”

I have the feeling that these people in the finance department do not read books. That’s dreadful because how does a non-book reading custom official make a distinction which book should have one percent tax or five percent tax?

In a full page open letter to Gloria Arroyo published in newspapers yesterday, members of different book associations said the DOF Order 17-09 not only violates the Florence agreement but also R.A. 8047 or the Book Publishing Industry Development Act.

“The imposition of duty on book importations, no matter how minimal, will increase the cost to our readers, which in turn will fundamentally affect the quality of education, literacy and over-all access to information and knowledge. Our young need to be educated and become literate to a high degree to be competitive in the emerging world market. This requires world-class and world-wide access to information and knowledge through books.”

The UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) national Commission of the Philippines last Saturday issued a statement objecting to the DOF order.

It noted that “the tax scheme has an inherent anti-poor bias as it is the marginalized sectors that will be most adversely affected by more expensive publications. Taxes on imported books and other publications will definitely widen the ‘knowledge divide’ between the rich and poor sectors of society and therefore run counter to UNESCO’s vision of building an ‘inclusive’ society.

“Taxing imported books is tantamount to taxing reading habits. At a time when parents and educators worldwide have expressed alarm on the continuing steep decline in the reading habits and practices especially among the young, the tax measure is counterproductive to current initiatives to rekindle a reading culture. The measure would surely further discourage young and even old minds from appreciating, recognizing and rediscovering the value of reading.,”

The Commission further said that while they recognize the government’s need for additional revenues, they should refrain from getting it from imported books “that feed the minds especially of our young generation.”

“ Such action can only succeed in taxing our future,” the Commission said.

Published inEducationMalaya

60 Comments

  1. Mike Mike

    What can we do? In the first place, the gov’t is hard pressed to raise more funds in the national coffers because as we all know, funds are dwindling fast since they dipped their hands into it as if it’s their own piggy bank, and they do it not because it’s for funding projects and services for the people but more of according to their whims and caprice. Come to think of it, maybe they intentionally did that (taxing books) since it’s easier to rule and manipulate the minds of uneducated people.

  2. This is what i don’t understand about having government. Instead of serving the people, it milks them of their hard earned penny.

    We even have to spend P11Billion to hire them with automated counting machines!

    Lunacy.

  3. I asked the same question to a deeply religious friend who belongs to a popular religious sect. His reply was: “I don’t want to be too rich because I may forget God. I don’t want to be too poor because I may be tempted to commit sins. I just need enough to use for my thanksgiving to God and be able to continue serving Him.”

  4. chi chi

    “…maybe they intentionally did that (taxing books) since it’s easier to rule and manipulate the minds of uneducated people.” –

    Sakto! That’s exactly why Gloria is having a heyday!

  5. chi chi

    The quote is attributed to mike (napabilis and pindot).

    ____

    Hindi nakakapagtaka na kulelat ang Pinas ni Gloria sa Human Development Index. Supilin ba naman ang dunong e talagang puro bobo at boba ang kasasadlakan ng pinoy. Wow! Gloria forever nga. Lintik na unanang itik!

  6. No wonder I buy from Amazon.com instead..

  7. Maurice Maurice

    Ellen sana maipaabot mo ang mga tanong na ito sa mga politikong nag-re-react sa isyung Hayden Kho at Katrina Halili lalong lalo na kay Bong Revilla.

    Ano ang opinion nila sa pag-so-sorry ni Hayden Kho at sa pag-so-sorry ni Gloria Arroyo?

    Sino ang may mas matinding krimen na nagawa sa sambayanang Pilipino, Si Hayden Kho o’ si Gloria Arroyo?

    Sino ang mas maraming binaboy na buhay, Si Hayden Kho o’ si Gloria Arroyo?

    Wala kasing reaksiyon noon na ginawa si Bong Revilla at iyong ibang mga politiko ng lumabas ang Hello Garci tape na kinamatayan na ni Samuel Ong.

  8. With GMA ordering the immediate lifting of the customs duty on book importation, Press Secretary Remonde says: “The President wants books to be within reach of the common man. She believes reading as an important value for intellectual formation, which is the foundation of a healthy public opinion necessary for a vibrant democracy.”

    The Malacanang spinmaster would like us to believe that GMA is against taxing the importation of books yet she allowed DOF DO No. 17-09. Tax imposition is not just being issued out of the blue but has the prior approval by GMA after a series of discussion until final imprimatur is stamped. Now, Remonde in glowing words is projecting that GMA will not tolerate the tax imposition because she loves the common man and the books should be within his reach. Remonde has mastered weaving fairy tales but whatever he says, nobody believes anymore whatever is coming from Malacanang.

  9. chi chi

    Remonde is an extension of Gloria’s most gigantic lying mouth.
    Ang maniwala, sira!

  10. The Depatment of Finance interpretation on Florence Agreement is simply, tax can be imposed on imported books which are not textbooks. Even a non-lawyer like can me can read it clearly that the UNESCO-sponsored Florence Agreement allowed all printed materials to be imported duty-free. While this administratiion has the penchant to ignore Philippine laws, violating an international legal agreement makes it a double jeopardy.

    Sec. Remonde cannot feign ignorance in this book tax because he should be in the forefront on matters being discussed as prominently played in the media. He knows that as early as April, Rep. Teddy Locsin wrote a 4-page letter to GMA appealing for her intervention in the implementation of DO 17-09. Now, he would like it to appear, bida ang kanyang mahal na pangulo for lifting the order to tax imported books. Pslakpakan!

  11. vic vic

    when the economy is not performing as the Government drumming it, the sources of revenue are drying up and eventually it will have to find for these funds any which way and that includes even squeezing water from the desert sand or the bandits will die of thirst. and the bandits we are talking here are insatiable

  12. All of Malacanang spokespersons were liars. That’s the only skill they have to be appointed in that position. Starting from Bunye up to the current deputy spokespersons Golez and Fajardo…all are liars like their master.

  13. Liwayway-Gawgaw Liwayway-Gawgaw

    Lies, like cancer kills our hope.

    And so are the liars trumpeting the fake accomplishments of the fake president!

    There’s no way to rid them except burning them alive!

  14. Liwayway-Gawgaw Liwayway-Gawgaw

    There’s no need for our young generation to read imported books on modern concepts how to become filthy rich. We have living references inside malakanyang fallace. They can teach our students the very basic art and masteral in LYING, CHEATING and STEALING!

    gloria and her cabinet members have doctorate and expertise on these!

  15. Swapang lang talaga ang gobyerno ni Gloria Arroyo. Even the remittances of our OFWs, who suffer the worst sufferings in foreign lands because of Gloria’s dismal failure to create jobs, are slapped a documentary stamp tax of about .15% This is anti-poor because the rich people who transfer millions electronically via SWIFT do not need to pay anything extra to the usual bank charges.

    Yung mga umaasa lang sa padala via Western Union ay kinakaltasan pa. Tapos yung kinaltas, tino-tongpats lang ng greedy mafia!

    Tayo ba ang nagsisilbi sa gobyerno ni Gloria? Baliktad yata.

  16. When Winston Garcia failed to grab control over Meralco from the Lopezes, I knew it wasn’t the last attempt. Well, they have suceeded, in the person of Original Pacman Danding Cojuangco, whose henchman Ramon Ang has skillfully worked the accumulation of Meralco stocks they are now tied with Manny Pangilinan’s group at 43% each.

    Last year at about the same date, GSIS flexed its muscle to wrest management from the Lopezes. The Lopezes were forced to sell to the “friendly” group of PLDT’s Pangilinan just this year.

    The greedy Danding is about to conquer Oil, Electricity, and Telecoms industries to which San Miguel’s money is diversifying into. Its partners Bobby Ongpin and Eric Recto in Ashmore now control PNOC. They will be partners in Meralco and soon in SMC’s buyout of my good friend Raymond Moreno’s Liberty Telecoms with foreign partners Qatar Tel and Wi-Tribe.

    Where is all these money coming from? Is this the Great Pidal Money Laundering Machine in action?

    Is this an indication of some kind that tells us what an Escudero or Legarda presidency would look like?

  17. My last post may seem off-topic but it just goes to show the possibility of how the next president, in an act of goodwill to his/her kingmaker, may in fact be “Taxing the Future”.

  18. taga-ilog taga-ilog

    Maaawa ba ako o maiinis kay Remonde? Ang kaniyang almusal, tanghalian, hapunan at merienda ay puro kasinungalingan!
    Hindi na kaya siya tinatablan ng hiya maski man lamang sa kaniyang sarili o sa kaniyang mga magulang? O talagang nasa dugo na? O talagang ang buhay niya ay umiikot lang sa PERA?

    Kelan kaya sisingilin ng administrasyon ni Galora ang mga bagyo na pumapasok sa ating bansa? Imported din kasi ito, e.

  19. From GMA News online:

    Manila suspends rules covering book imports

    Manila suspended guidelines covering imported books, allowing importers to bring in foreign-made reading materials tax-free as indicated in an international agreement which the country signed.

    The Department of Finance (DOF) immediately suspended the implementation of department order No. 17-09 (DO 17-09), which clarified guidelines on duty-free importation of books, the agency said in a statement.

    The decision was made after the DOF recognized various issued raised by the National Book Development Board (NBDB), United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (Unesco) Philippines, and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the statement said.

    “We believe that the NBDB, UNESCO, and the DFA have valid issues that needed to be resolved before we could finalize the guidelines on the duty-free importation of books,” DOF Secretary Margarito B. Teves said.

    In March, the DOF issued DO 17-09 which listed requirements that will allow book importers to bring in their shipments without paying any taxes as indicated in the 1950 Florence Agreement.

    The Philippines became a signatory to the agreement in August 1979.

    The order was issued “to remove discretion among customs officers, increase transparency, and improve accountability in the duty-free importation of books,” Secretary Teves said.

    “It has never been our intention to impede the free flow of books as enshrined in the UNESCO Florence Agreement, and we fully support free exchange of ideas and knowledge which is accomplished primarily by means of books, publications and educational, scientific and cultural materials,” he added.

    Duties collected from imported books in the first four months of the year reached P1.7 million, which forms a minuscule part of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) P277 billion revenue goals.

    “We are not really after revenues in this case,” Customs Commissioner Napoleon L. Morales said. “We just want to have clear guidelines on the required documents for the duty-free importation of books so that there’s no room for possible harassment of book importers by some of our customs officers.” – GMANews.TV

  20. Ted Agbayani Ted Agbayani

    really sad that what happened to South Korea did not happen here. sana si tiyanak na lang ang nagpakamatay. pero i may be hoping against hope. she will never do it. kapalmuks. nuknukan ng sama

  21. patria adorada patria adorada

    suspended pero naka pagkolekta na sila sa isang bagay nahindi naman talaga dapat.ang labas,kotong din.

  22. norpil norpil

    ang akala nila ay malaking pera ito pero ng makita nila na maliit din lang ay ok na ang sorry na lang.

  23. Valdemar Valdemar

    They should also tax the bible.

  24. saxnviolins saxnviolins

    Before I left, I used to frequent the second hand bookstores at SM North and Rustan’s. That is where I spent my Saturdays. Kilala na nga ako ng mga tindera. What could I do; I had no tongpats, and did not work for the big law firms.

    When I came to the mighty USA, the first thing I did was visit the New York Public Library (not the WTC or Empire State). Goddamn, miles and miles of books. Pati bestsellers, bagong labas, available na.

    So cheap me, I go to Barnes and Noble, look for interesting books, then go online, and reserve online. The public library emails me back when it is ready for pickup.

    Cheap lang naman ang magpaganda ng public library system sa PI, kahit man lang sa major cities. A million each, from the pork barrel, and you will have more than 200 million to buy books.

    Ni wala man lang tayong library of Congress, kung saan maaaring mag-research ang mga kabataan. There is a library, yes, pero puro law books, at elitista pa, pang staff lang yata. Hindi man natin mapantayan ang US Congress, sana naman ang library of the Philippine Congress should have a more ample collection than UP, Ateneo, La Salle and all the Manila universities combined. That way, mas democratic ang access to knowledge.

    Who is the head of the education committe? Mr. Palengke at the Senate, and a businessman (De Guzman) at the House. Kaya pala.

  25. chi chi

    Manila suspends rules covering book imports – GMA news

    Ang bilis naman ng suspension, kababasa lang nila sa Ellenville a!

  26. 500Pesos is something like 10$ or roughly 8 Euros?

    That’s expensive!

    I just bought a brand new 200-page hard cover book yesterday on landscaping and architectural gardening complete with drawings, colour pictures at a petrol service station and cost me 7 Euros! A Grisham novel (or any of those “best selling” police novels which you leave behind after travelling hours on a plane or a boat) in brand new paperback usually costs 8.50 euros on any Ro-Ro vessel plying Calais-Dover.

    Geez, and they wanted to tax imported books?

  27. We usually have a school PTA day when we collect and sell second hand books for charity. Hundreds of books come pouring in, hard bound, paper back, all sorts of books ranging from interesting to uninteresting.

    We usually sell them for 50 cents a go. I once sent my sis a balikbayan box filled with some 80 books that cost me 40 euros or so. No wonder she was thrilled — didn’t know that books cost a whoper in Manila.

  28. Re: ““We are not really after revenues in this case,” Customs Commissioner Napoleon L. Morales said. “We just want to have clear guidelines on the required documents for the duty-free importation of books so that there’s no room for possible harassment of book importers by some of our customs officers.””

    Palusot pa siya!!!

  29. Woah. Almost all of the uneducated people are poor. They will rather buy food for their stomachs instead of buying a taxed book. How will they be educated? I will not be surprised if one day all the corrupt people are choked by the food they eat which comes from corruption. Instead of getting our blood pressures high, let’s just pray for all the pitiful corrupt officials in our country, for I know that when they die, they won’t escape the wrath of purgatory.

    Please come visit my blog. This blog was made to encourage everyone especially the youth to participate in seeking CHANGE in our country. The URL is http://juanstep.blogspot.com

  30. Rose Rose

    A few months ago a relative went home to Antique and donated books to an elementary school in San Jose. Hindi ako makapaniwala noong narining ko sa kanya na ang mga bata never had owned a book kaya tuwang tuwang noong na bigyan sila ng copya ng “Ang aking Unang Aklat”. Since owns “Phil. Expressions” noong umuwi niya a couple of weeks ago..nag distribute uli siya..When we first started the Antique Association in LA we had “the Operation Kasing Kasing”..pag nag birthday we asked our guests in lieu of gifts bring books or bedsheets, towels and the celebrant will send it home..sa barrio of her choice..I also suggested this idea to some friends – Iloilo Society..donate subscriptions to National Geographic, Readers’ Digests, etc. to school libraries sa barrios in Iloilo..pero walang nakarinig…growing up years ago, we spend our time reading..the first time I went to Manila nawala ako at nagwala sa Phil. Education at paguwi ko tatlong kahon ng mga libro ang dala ko..Greek Myths etc. Fairy tales..napaka importante sa akin ang mag basa..instead of magmahjong..
    do we have public libraries in each town sa atin? ano ang ginagawa ng gobierno?

  31. Rose Rose

    incidentally, nakita ko kanina ang picture ni putot washing her hands..like Pontius Pilate she washes her hands sa lahat ng anomaliya, corruption, etc. nalinis ba ang mga kamag niya? hindi ah,,,mas marumi pa nga.hindi kaya ng lysol o ano mang lason..dapat inumin na lang niya ang lysol..

  32. Rose Rose

    DOF suspends Order…bakit hindi niya suspendihin ang mga officiales na corrupt, etc. hindi nga pala puede at sa pamuno niya corruption is the system..her way of life..

  33. Balweg Balweg

    Ang bilis naman ng suspension, kababasa lang nila sa Ellenville a!

    Very good Chi, they are all worried about the domino effect of this anti-poor idea of the Department of Finance. Imposing taxes on imported books is really undesirable kaya and duda ko e si Mr. VAT ang may pakana nito.

    Remember, sa hinagap nga e akalain nýo na ang birth certificate e six months lang ang valitidy…may expiration walastik talaga, ang laki ng kita ng rehimeng arroyo. How about other taxes…kaliwa’t kanan wala tayong masulingan.

    Pahirap talaga sa taong-bayan!

  34. chi chi

    I send old books to our small barrio library, pinakikinabangan ng mga high school students. The books on IT/IS (my husband’s) are being used by the IT students (as references) enrolled in Olongapo, Bataan and Manila colleges/universities. Occasionally, meron ‘order’ ang mga youths, sige na lang kasi ay yun lang ang aking maliit na maiiambag sa growth ng kanilang isipan na sinusupil ni impakta Gloria.

  35. boyner boyner

    This evil regime probably wants the Filipinos to be bone heads like most of its top officials.

  36. Maurice Maurice

    Ang tawag sa mga OFW ay Bagong Bayani pero bakit hindi maibigay sa mga OFW ang ginawang pagsalubong kay Manny Pacquiao, samantalang ang padalang pera ng OFW ang bumubuhay sa ekonomiya ng bansang Pilipinas na ninanakaw naman ng mga lintik na itik sa administrasyong Arroyo. Hindi naman kayang tapatan ng napanalunang pera ni Manny Pacquiao an ipinapasok na pera ng mga OFW sa bansa.

    Marami tayong mga professional na naging OFW tulad ng Doctors, Engineers, Nurses, etc… pero never natagurian silang super. Para lang mauto ang mga maid, tinagurian ng administrasyong Arroyo ang mga domestic helpers at tinawag na Super Maid. Pinababayaan nilang mapagsamantalahan ang mga Pilipinong DH tapos tatawagin pa nilang Super Maid?

    Ang galing talagang mang-uto at manloko ng administrasyong ito….

  37. The campaign against DOF 17-09 has been going on for many weeks. Manolo Quezon is in the forefront of this crusade. It was only last Sunday that I was able to take time to understand the whole thing becaue of so many issues that had to be attended to.

  38. My problem in bringing books to our barrio is the air freight. I used to pay quite a sum in excess baggage whenever I bring books to our barrio in Antique.

  39. chi chi

    Ellen,

    From my place, $127 per balikbayan box, kahit gaano kabigat. Dahil konte lang ang pinoy dito, unlike CA,NY, NJ, VA, FL and other cities, mas malaki ang bayad sa balikbayan box. Mas madali pa at mas mura na manggaling sa US ang mga libro to Pinas final destination kesa sa pag-transport to the provinces from Manila.

  40. Rose Rose

    Hindi ba may special rate ang magpapadala ng libro sa atin?

  41. chi chi

    Don’t know, Rose. Dito sa amin e wala kung balikbayan box. Hindi ko lang alam kung thru postal service.

  42. habib habib

    Ka Balweg,

    Susmaryosep! Birth certificate, may expiration? Kung hindi ito isang katangahang may kakambal na kahangalan at kasuwapangan, ano?

    Sa rehimeng ito ay wala tayong maaaring asahan kundi ‘yung supilin ang lahat ng ating karapatan para sa kanilang kapakinabangan. Kung maaari nga lamang eh, pati ating paghinga ay mayroong takdang haba ng panahon at kung gusto uli nating huminga ay mag-aaply pa ng permit at magbabayad upang/bago maapbrubahan.

  43. Kailangan ng i-step up ang kurakot bago mag-eleksiyon at bago sila lumayas sa Palasyo ng mga baboy. Hindi ko kinukuha yung free subscriptions ko sa Post Office. Kahit yung mga product catalogs, trade journals at weeklies na libre ay hindi ko tinutubos kahit nalift na ang 5% duty kasa sabi ng kartero ko ay isang kahon na raw yung mga libro ko doon sa dami.

    Paano ay bukod sa duty na idinagdag simula February, nagkaroon pa ako ng storage charges nung hindi ko ni-redeem yung notices na ipinadala sa akin. Manigas sila, tutal libre naman lahat iyon aabalahin ko na lang sila sa pagdispatsa nung mga iyon, makabawi naman kahit konti.

    ***********

    habib, Balweg
    Kaya naman yung birth certificate na kinuha ko sa NSO nung isang Lunes na dating P190, P240 na simula itong linggong ito. Ang matindi nga ay valid for 6 months lang.

    Ang kapal talaga ng gobyerno. Bakit, nagbabago ba ang birthday after six months?

  44. Ellen,
    mabilis na kumalat yung cause laban sa book taxes sa FB. In less than 2 weeks, naka-20,000 members, nagulat pati US Embassy sa power ng internet sa Pinas. Ako dalawa lang ang na-recruit ko, yung panganay ko at si Frank Drilon.

    Hindi pa sana bibigay ang gobyerno kung hindi pa sinulatan ng UNESCO ang DFA at pinaalala na signatory ang Pilipinas sa Florence Agreement.

    Congrats to the vigilance of bloggers, especially MLQ3. Kahit hindi gaano napansin ng MSM dahil sa HK-KH scandal, mabilis na accomplish ang misyon. Mabuhay!

  45. Govt makes you pay for your birth certificate? Whhhhhaaaaat?

  46. Yes, Anna. We have to pay to get a copy of our birth certificate which expires fades after six months.

  47. Ellen,

    But this is pure racket!

    While I understand that govt needs to make money, hence taxes on goods, services, income, etc., etc. are necessary, it is another to require a nation’s citizens or those who are born in the country to PURCHASE birth certificates, because at the end of the day that’s what they are doing, SEELING citizens their own birth certificates as if their birth registry records are some consumer items — perishable.

    Firstly, why so expensive? 250 Pesos? A symbolic fee of say a dollar or equivalent is alright but how can a maid earning that money for a day’s work be obliged to pay for a PERISHABLE birth certificate?

    Secondly, if a citizen’s birth certificate is deemed a PERISHABLE ITEM as in good-for-only-six-months item (for the life of me, I dont understand why they should be PERISHABLE goods), for that price, govt should have the decency to issue succeeding certificates for FREE!

    If business it should be for govt to make money out of the one official record that is so personal to an individual on this planet, they should at least have the decency to include proper after sales services.

    In fine, aren’t people born in the Philippines entitled to a normal official brith certificate issue at birth for free? This is a government service that govt owes to its citizens sort of to say, “Hey you, Monkey, your birth in this country has been officially recognised by the Bastusan Republic of the Philippines!”

    If the owner of the certificate loses it, then I agree that a minimal or symbolic renewal or retrieval fee may, if at all necessary or “if push comes to shove”, be required but to make it a rule of thumb to disqualify certificates issued no less by a govt authority after 6 months is completely crazy! Pure, absolute, unadulterated racket of the most abusive proportions.

    I do recognise that in France a duly govt certified copy or record detailing the circumstances of your birth in the country (otherwise known as birth certificate), i.e., name, date and time of birth, place, sex, name of father, name of mother, etc., may lapse after a few months but you are not asked to pay for that document — it is the responsibility of the State to keep an archive of records pertaining to persons born on a nation’s soil and government is duty bound to provide you free of charge this one personal birth record copy!!!

    That’s what taxes are used for, for crying out loud!

    You can also ask for a renewed duly certified copy any time and for as many times as you need FREE OF CHARGE!

    Taxes, taxes, taxes — that’s why we pay those bleeding taxes!

    Is this government operating on a Mafia policy of pay for protection or else you no longer exist?

  48. In the UK, you are asked to pay 10£ for your birth certificate (it’s like a diploma) but for heavens’ sake, it is valid ad vitam eternam!!!! and won’t perish even after you’re dead!

    Besides what’s 10£ to someone or a maid in the UK who earns at the very least, 100 times that amount in monthly minimum wage?

    Does a Filipino maid in the Philippines earn the equivalent UK minimum wage, eg., 250 pesos x 100 monthly so that govt could oblige her to pay 250 pesos for one blasted copy that should be hers by right for free?

    Sure, if you lose it, you can ask for one again and must dole out 10£ again but hey, there’s no such thing as a PERSIHSABLE BIRTH CERTIFICATE unless of course it’s a fake one. Of course, if it’s a fake one and you present it to a govt agency, any official authority that recognises would certainly make it PERISH under your very eyes right there and rightly so! And then and would call the police…

    So, is govt in some fraud racket that the copies of the birth certificates they issue are PERISHABLE?

    Now, allow me to borrow a quip from my good friend Yuko: “In Europe”, people who issue fake certificates of birth in Europe are thrown in jail when caught or are killed by their own fellow fraudster goons! Maybe that’s what we should do to this government in Pinas….

  49. Ellen,

    You also mentionned “fades”… are you implying that the ink govt uses for the birth certificate copy FADES after 6 months or is it the paper that fades?

    Either way, this becomes even more and more suspicious and just downright ludicrous!

    We know that fake monetary bills, currencies, passports, official documents use a certain type of paper or ink to appear legit are detected because they fade or because ink disappears like your fountain pen ink, etc.

    Is the Philippine government officially now in the business of printing fake documents that’s why birth certificate copies “FADE”????

    This is just unbelievable… I know govt is in the business of human traficking, of pimping, is in all sorts of human racketeering possible, but goodness, gracious me, running a fake certificate ring operation is just too much!

  50. Yes, Anna. That’s what happened to the birth certificate that I obtained from the Bureau of Census. When I needed it to renew my passport, I found the document to be just a plain white paper.

    I think that’s really programmed to fade after six months to ensure that you would have to get again a new copy of your birth certificate if you need it.

  51. chi chi

    “Fade” birth certificate…oh dear, this fake government of Gloria really knows business without borders.

  52. Remember the ’70s denim jeans brand Faded Glory? Bagay na bagay kay Putot.

    Kaya nagpe-fade kasi fax paper type ang material. Napaka lowtech dahil pwede namang magprint ng fax ngayon sa plain paper.

    And to fan the flames for my friend Anna, In order to secure a birth certificate, you will have to be on queue one or two hours before they open to be able to make it before their quota cutoff which usually happens at around 10:30 in the morning. Those who come after will have to return the next day. They spend the rest of the day scratching their balls.

  53. chi chi

    Ang pamangkin ko ay nag-email last year asking when my mom died dahil itinatanong raw ng Pinas Census kung kailan namatay ang kanyang lola na hindi niya kilala dahil patay na one year old pa lang ang kanyang mommy, bago s’ya isyuhan ng birth certificate. Ano ba yan, kanya-kanyang raket.

  54. Tongue,

    “In order to secure a birth certificate, you will have to be on queue one or two hours before they open to be able to make it before their quota cutoff”

    Are you serious? Where do you do that?

    Imagine with almost 100 million Filipinos, you probably have several outlets to cater to the clients.

    Does that mean that the govt birth certificate issuing agency has thousands of little birth certificate booths around the country like Western Union stalls?

    Naknampucha naman — this is getting more and more hilarious but terribly suspect!

  55. Ok, borrowing our dear friend Yuko’s quip, “In Europe”, we can do it either by mail or by email. Tapos!

    Why in the blasted devil’s name should you need to qiueu? Why waste the time of people and waste their meagre precious resources?

    Evn in Malaysia, there’s no hocus pocus — easy, you can do it by mail or by email. And to think, Malaysia was trillion years behind the Philippines in terms of progress a few decades ago.

    Kaya pala my sister told me when I asked her why she hadn’t renewed her passport — she quipped that she still had to get her birth certificate and it was difficult to obtain it. Because she didn’t elaborate, I kept asking myself, why would it be difficult to get that one personal and simple document?

    It’s supposed to be a right and not just a privilege to be able to obtain one when you ask the state for it.

    Sanamagan!

  56. norpil norpil

    ang alam ko sa simbahan kumukuha ng birth certificate.

  57. Liwayway-Gawgaw Liwayway-Gawgaw

    Hindi naman kaya ang birth certificate na ‘yan ay printed sa toilet roll like quality of paper? Kaya six months lamang at hindi na mabasa?

    Meron akong natatagong birth certificate kong tinatakan when NSO required to have all document requirements stamped certified by that office, and for less than THIRTY YEARS, still in tact and readable pa rin.

    Hindi pa kasi talamak ang tongpats noon, I suppose.

    Kawawa talaga ang ating furture generation if always governed by a ganid katulad ni gloria arrovo!

  58. Liwayway-Gawgaw Liwayway-Gawgaw

    norpil,

    Baptismal certificate ang kinukuha sa simbahan.

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