Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Senator Rodante Marcoleta is facing a perjury complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman for reportedly publicly acknowledging that he received P112 million in campaign donations during a televised interview, while declaring zero contributions in his 2025 campaign finance report.

Poll watchdog Kontra Daya, represented by Dr. Danilo Arao, along with representatives of Advocates for Public Interest Law, Atty. Dino de Leon and Alex Lacson lodged the complaint against Marcoleta on Friday.

In a 15-page complaint, the groups pointed out that Marcoleta’s actions, specifically his admission of receiving the campaign funds during the November 7 broadcast of Sa Ganang Mamamayan, ‘constitute perjury under Article 183 of the Revised Penal Code.’

Under Article 183, perjury occurs when a person makes a statement under oath on a material matter, before a competent officer, with willful and deliberate falsity, and where the statement is required by law for a legal purpose.

The penalty for perjury under Article 183 ranges from six months in jail (maximum term of arresto mayor) to two years and four months imprisonment (minimum term of prision correccional).

The complaint also cited Marcoleta’s broadcast statements, in which he admitted deliberately avoiding the disclosure of donors’ identities, as direct evidence of intentional falsehood.

Inquirer sought the side of Marcoleta’s office regarding the matter, but it has yet to reply as of posting time.

‘By his own admission, respondent (Marcoleta) publicly acknowledged receiving campaign contributions for the May 12, 2025 senatorial elections, but deliberately declared zero contributions in his sworn Soce,’ the complaint said.

Marcoleta’s admission would then constitute perjury under Article 183 of the Revised Penal Code, according to the complainants, penalizing any person who has taken an oath but ‘willfully and deliberately asserts a falsehood upon a material matter.’

The complainants also pointed out that Marcoleta, as a lawyer and a long-time public official, should know that contributions and donor identities are considered as facts that ‘must be truthfully stated under oath.’

‘His professional background forecloses any claim of confusion or inadvertence,’ the complaint also said.

The complainants cited a portion of Marcoleta’s interview last Nov. 7 wherein he said in Filipino: ‘I will be forced to make it zero. Because if I put an amount, I will be compelled to disclose one by one, including the identity.’

‘This admission shows that he consciously chose to declare zero contributions precisely to avoid disclosing his donors, despite knowing that the law required him to do so,’ the complainants said.

‘As a lawyer, he (Marcoleta) knew the legal consequences of submitting a false sworn statement, but he nonetheless elected to misrepresent his contributions to shield his donors from being identified,’ they also said in their complaint

If Darius John Villaseñor looked like someone who has climbed roads his entire life during the Solid North Larga Pilipinas bike race over the weekend, it’s because he has.

At 18, Villaseñor didn’t look like a teenager thrust into the frenzy of a pro peloton and stunned veterans in the 143.68-kilometer (km) opening stage in Nueva Ecija, bridging to eventual winner Marc Ryan Lago with a late attack on Mt. Balungao.

‘I can handle the climbs because that’s what I’ve trained on since I started biking,’ he said. ‘So when I went up to Balungao, I didn’t look back.’

Stage 2, a 90-km run into the steep approach of Monasterio de Tarlac, became his breakout. Cocooned in the safety of teammates, he reached the base with yellow-jersey wearer Lago-then launched an attack very few saw coming.

Alone on the ascent, the son of former Marlboro Tour rider Dennis Villaseñor opened a gap of more than a minute on a chasing group stacked with elite climbers.

Natural climber

‘When I was younger, I learned to ride in Labi and Tanawan. Those climbs became natural to me,’ he said, recalling early days training with seasoned riders like Marcelo Felipe. That foundation powered him to a winning 1:57:13, leaving pursuers nearly three minutes behind.

The victory introduced Villaseñor to a wider cycling public and signaled Victoria Sports’ investment in young talent. Larga Pilipinas, backed by the Philippine Sports Commission, PhilCycling and multiple private partners, saw more than 6,000 cyclists take part in the two-day, 200-km showcase across Nueva Ecija, Tarlac and Pangasinan.

But the weekend belonged to the soft-spoken, fearless teenager.

‘I just trusted what I’ve trained for,’ Villaseñor said. ‘That’s why I kept going.’

The Court of Appeals (CA) has denied the plea of a former Caloocan City police officer to overturn the affirmation of his conviction for torturing and planting evidence on drug war victims Carl Angelo Arnaiz and Reynaldo ‘Kulot’ de Guzman.

In a resolution dated Nov. 25, the appellate court denied the motion for reconsideration of ex-Police Officer 1 Jeffrey Perez [Patrolman under the new police rank classification system] for lack of merit, saying the issues he raised had already been tackled in its previous decision.

‘Ultimately, what emerges is a grim portrait of abuse of power under the guise of authority. This Court cannot and will not lend its imprimatur to such betrayal of public trust,’ the CA said in the ruling penned by Associate Justice Eduardo Ramos Jr.

In its decision dated April 10, the appellate court’s Second Division affirmed a 2022 ruling by the Caloocan City Regional Trial Court (RTC) that found Perez guilty of multiple charges, including torture and planting of evidence.

Accused’s arguments

It also upheld the penalties of reclusion perpetua and two life sentences without parole meted out by the RTC. However, the Second Division reduced the damages awarded to each victim’s family from the P2 million imposed by the Caloocan court.

In filing an appeal before the CA, Perez argued that De Guzman’s lifeless body was discovered in Gapan, Nueva Ecija, on Sept. 6, 2017, suggesting that he was killed there and not in the cities of Caloocan or Navotas.

As for the case of Arnaiz, the police officer asserted that the prosecution failed to prove the 19-year-old was tortured or that the planting of the evidence against him happened in Caloocan City.

Perez likewise challenged the ‘last seen alive’ doctrine that the CA invoked, arguing that it does not apply to his case because there was no competent proof that the victims were last seen with him.

In denying his motion, the CA said there was no compelling reason to modify its earlier ruling, much less reverse it. It emphasized that the ‘absence of direct evidence does not negate culpability.’

Minor but crucial detail

According to the appellate court, the last seen alive doctrine applied to the case, and the prosecution established that two victims were last seen together on Aug. 17, 2017, before they went missing.

Specifically, the CA said, Arnaiz and De Guzman were last spotted within Caloocan City, onboard a police vehicle with ‘Caloocan’ written on the back-a detail that, while seemingly minor, was in fact crucial.

‘It ties the perpetrators and their instruments directly to the Caloocan City police and transforms the patrol car itself from a mere vehicle into an instrumentality of torture-a mobile chamber of abuse disguised under the color of law,’ the appellate court said.

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) revoked the driver’s license of a vlogger who allegedly drove a car sporting fake plates and without fastening his seatbelt.

In a statement on Friday, the LTO said the vlogger – whom it did not identify – defied their show cause order and was a no-show to his hearing before the agency’s Intelligence and Investigation Division.

‘Tuluyan nang ni-revoke ng LTO ang driver’s license ng isang kilalang vlogger matapos ireklamo ng netizens nang kumalat sa social media ang kanyang video na nagmamaneho ng isang Ford Expedition na may nakakabit na pekeng plaka at hindi nakasuot ng seatbelt,’ the agency said.

(The LTO has revoked the driver’s license of a famous vlogger after netizens complained over a video circulating on social media in which he was driving a Ford Expedition with fake plates while not wearing a seatbelt.)

‘Mananatiling naka-alarma ang Ford Expedition [ng vlogger] habang hindi pa sumasailalim sa kumpletong roadworthiness inspection sa LTO Motor Vehicle Inspection Facility,’ it added.

(The vlogger’s Ford Expedition will remain under alarm while it has yet to undergo a roadworthiness inspection at the LTO Motor Vehicle Inspection Facility.)

An LTO alarm means all transactions with the agency regarding the vehicle are blocked.

The LTO further claimed the vlogger was caught looking at the camera of the mobile phone used to film the circulating video.

According to the agency, the vlogger was summoned to explain why the LTO should not file cases against him for failure to attach an authorized motor vehicle license plate; violation of mandatory use of seatbelt; distracted driving; reckless driving; and improper person to operate a motor vehicle.

Senator Loren Legarda called on government agencies to fully enforce landmark health and welfare measures she authored, stressing their vital role in safeguarding the rights of Filipinos from birth to adulthood.

Speaking in plenary on December 3, Legarda responded to Senator Raffy Tulfo’s privilege speech on health programs and disability services, reinforcing the call through her own legislative initiatives.

‘Ito po ang pagsusuri sa sanggol kaagad pagkapanganak, ang Newborn Screening. Malaking tulong po ito dahil maaga nating natutukoy kung may kapansanan o kondisyon na dapat agad gamutin,’ Legarda said, recalling the Newborn Screening Act of 2004 (Republic Act 9288), which she authored.

She also cited the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening and Intervention Act of 2009 (Republic Act 9709), crafted in collaboration with Dr. Charlotte Chiong, Dean of the UP College of Medicine.

‘Ito naman po ay para sa kapansanan sa pandinig. Kaya po tayo ay tumulong sa UP PGH na magkaroon ng ear department na nagsasagawa ng hearing screening,’ she emphasized.

Beyond these measures, Legarda pointed to her continuing work through the amendatory law to the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons (RA 10070), the expansion of benefits under RA 10754, and the mandatory PhilHealth coverage for all PWDs under RA 11228.

‘Ako po ang principal author nito noong 2019. Kaya kung ang mga persons with disabilities ay sakop na ng PhilHealth, dapat masaklaw din ang pag-monitor at mga screening para sa maagang pag-iwas sa kapansanan,’ she said.

Legarda reminded agencies of their duty to implement these laws fully, marking the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3.

‘We want to ensure that LGU hospitals, DOH-retained hospitals, and all other facilities actually carry this out, because it is a mandate of the Department of Health. I wanted to place that firmly on record.

She closed by stressing the importance of respectful communication, noting that persons with disabilities must be treated with dignity and addressed using correct language, a principle she said should be embedded in every communications plan.

Rogelio Singson, who resigned from the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) investigating corruption in flood control projects, on Thursday urged Congress to pass a law to strengthen the fact-finding body and give it more authority to conduct a speedier probe.

The former public works secretary said the focus of the ICI’s efforts should be those on top of the corruption scheme rather than the small fries, but its lack of authority was hampering its work.

‘What we wanted to convey was ICI, as it is today, does not have enough powers to be able to execute as quickly as we can what we need to do,’ he said at a press conference a day after ICI head Andres Reyes Jr. announced that Singson would be stepping down later this month.

Reyes said Singson, 77, was resigning due to stress and unspecified security risks.

Singson appealed to members of the House of Representatives and the Senate to pass a measure to strengthen the probe body.

Given the ICI’s limited budget, he said the commission could not carry the entire weight of the corruption problem, as it needed solid backing from the Office of the President and Congress.

‘Otherwise, on its own, without the necessary powers, unfortunately, it will not move as fast as we want to,’ Singson said.

The ICI was established by an executive order by President Marcos in September, a month after he announced a major anticorruption campaign against nonexistent, substandard, and incomplete flood control projects.

Investigations by the House and the Senate later uncovered billions of pesos in kickbacks allegedly to lawmakers and public works officials from private contractors.

Singson said that he had advocated focusing on the people higher up the major infrastructure corruption ladder.

Don’t settle for ‘small fry’

‘We don’t want to focus on the small fry – they’re already collateral,’ he said. ‘Let us focus on the top because I think people expect that.’

When asked if the ICI should also investigate President Marcos over allegations by former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co, Singson did not give a categorical reply.

‘I keep saying, wherever the evidence leads,’ he said.

In a series of video messages, Co accused Marcos of allegedly ordering P100 billion worth of insertions in the 2025 national budget and claimed that the President and ex-Speaker Martin Romualdez had received P56 billion in kickbacks from these insertions.

Both the President and Romualdez, his cousin, flatly denied Co’s allegations.

Co’s claims not enough

Singson also downplayed the credibility of Co’s statements, saying that the former congressman’s statements were not enough to investigate Marcos.

‘So far, other than statements from a former congressman that we have invited twice to appear-who has not appeared – other than those statements, it could not be given credence as a basis of accusing someone,’ Singson said.

Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco said Singson’s resignation underscored the urgent need to strengthen the ICI and called on his colleagues, particularly Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie’ Dy III, to ‘heed the call of Singson and the people who are working in the ICI.’

Tiangco is the author of House Bill No. 5699, one of two proposed laws in the House that would give a body investigating corruption in public works broad powers to file cases, issue subpoenas and impose preventive suspensions, and hold departure orders against officials suspected of corruption without needing to seek action from other agencies like the Department of Justice, Office of the Ombudsman and the Anti-Money Laundering Council.

Tiangco’s bill would establish the Independent Commission Against Infrastructure Corruption (ICAIC)-a stronger body than the ICI with broader authority to investigate anomalies in infrastructure projects nationwide.

Five-member body

Under the proposed measure, the ICAIC will be composed of five members-a retired justice, an engineer or architect with at least 20 years of experience, a certified public accountant with 20 years of experience, a representative from the academe, and a representative from a reputable nongovernmental organization.

Singson himself envisioned an agency that is akin to the two ‘gold standards for anticorruption’-the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) of Hong Kong and the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau of Singapore.

He said that for such a body to be effective, it must possess its own authority to investigate, file cases, impose orders to block fleeing accused individuals, freeze their assets, and compel them to face the commission through a subpoena.

Under its current mandate, it is only allowed to investigate and merely recommend cases to the Ombudsman, which will review the ICI’s evidence and then decide if there is enough to file a criminal case in the Sandiganbayan.

The many steps required hamper the quick resolution of cases from the ICI to the courts, Singson said.

‘That’s a lengthy process,’ he said.

Singson said the ICI members met with representatives of 20 government agencies that could provide administrative remedies to aid its investigation.

‘Punching bag’

He lamented that when a person under investigation flees the country or refuses to appear before the ICI hearings, the fact-finding body becomes the nation’s ‘punching bag.’

‘If we invite someone and they don’t want to go, there’s nothing you can do. We don’t even have subpoena powers. Fire someone? We can’t do that. We have to go to court for a hold-departure order. What happens if the person leaves? We will be blamed . That’s what I mean,’ Singson said with frustration in his voice.

Malacañang remains lukewarm to calls from various sectors for the President to certify as urgent any proposed measure from both the House and the Senate to make the anticorruption campaign through the ICI more robust.

Marcos said he was open to these measures, but he has not moved to prioritize any bill to expand the ICI’s powers.

Loss of credibility?

Palace press officer Claire Castro on Thursday rejected claims that the ICI had lost its credibility following Singson’s resignation, saying there were many other ‘competent people’ in the probe body and his departure would not affect its duties.

‘Maybe there are just some people spreading this so that the public will no longer have a good impression of the ICI,’ she said.

Castro said the success of the ICI boils down not to any additional powers it may be given but to how its members conduct themselves.

‘It depends on how they ask questions. Even if you give them enormous power, if that’s really the way they question people-in a manner that does not disrespect their resource persons-then nothing will really change,’ she said.

Castro noted that ICI head Reyes, a former Supreme Court justice, ‘definitely knows how to ask questions insulting to their invited resource persons.’

‘Does the public want to see hearings like elsewhere, where the resource persons are shamed or threatened to be jailed? That is not the proper way to investigate if you really want to uncover the truth,’ said Castro, a litigation lawyer.

The negative reaction to the ICI might be the reason the members did not want its hearings to be live-streamed in the first place, she said.

According to Castro, the President respected Singson’s decision to step down but has yet to accept his resignation. But she said this could be approved, as the former public works secretary cited health reasons.

‘The work at ICI is truly no joke,’ Castro said.

Singson denied that supposed pressure from influential forces and threats to his life were among the reasons for his resignation.

‘I want to get back my privacy,’ he said. ‘I feel that I’ve done what I have to do for ICI, but I have to also answer to the needs of my family, family concerns, and my own personal life.’

The way the political scions of the Marcoses and Dutertes responded to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure’s (ICI) ongoing investigation into anomalous flood control projects seemed to have further shown the body’s limited powers.

While the president’s son, House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos, ‘voluntarily’ appeared before the ICI on Thursday, he asked that his testimony be heard in a closed-door session – a request immediately granted.

This was despite earlier ICI pronouncements that his appearance would likely be livestreamed.

On the other hand, Davao City Rep. Paolo ‘Pulong’ Duterte declined the ICI’s request for him to appear, saying the commission had no authority over him as a ‘sitting’ congressman.

Appearing before the ICI for the first time on Thursday, Marcos requested a closed-door session, citing the sensitive information he would disclose.

‘Our client here has submitted himself voluntarily, and he wants to share as much information as he can, as candidly as possible, and more importantly, there may be critical information that may be elicited in his testimony, which may jeopardize or compromise the investigation of this commission,’ Michelle Lazaro, Marcos’ lawyer, told the body.

But Marcos later told reporters that he’s leaving it to the ICI’s discretion to release the video of his testimony.

‘I’m happy for them to do so, if they believe that there is no information there that will jeopardize their investigation,’ Marcos said in an interview after the hearing.

‘I am here to lend anything that I know that will aid the ICI in their investigation,’ he added. ‘As I said, I am not hiding anything, so I am happy to assist them in any way, shape, or form.’

Marcos presented himself before the ICI following the allegations by resigned Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co that he inserted at least P50 billion worth of public works projects in the 2023, 2024, and 2025 budgets.

He said these accusations were ‘pure fabrication and pure lies’ and part of a ‘political ploy.’

He then diverted the issue to the alleged anomalous infrastructure projects in Davao City, alluding to the Dutertes.

‘Political harassment’

Pulong Duterte, the eldest son of former President Rodrigo Duterte, accused the ICI and President Marcos of political harassment and plotting to tarnish his name and that of his sister, Vice President Sara Duterte.

In a two-page letter addressed to ICI Chair Andres Reyes Jr., Duterte said he welcomed the investigation into the flood control projects in his district but that he could not accept the invitation.

He cited several reasons, including his being a ‘sitting member of Congress’ over whom the ICI, which President Marcos created through an executive order, ‘appears to have no power nor jurisdiction.’

‘The Constitutional separation of powers bars the ICI, which is part of the executive branch, from including me in your executive mandate. Your power is purely limited to the executive branch,’ he said.

He also contended that the ICI invitation had no factual or legal basis, that it was vague and ambiguous, and lacked details or particulars.

Being a creation of the executive branch, he said, the ICI could easily get information about his projects from the public works and budget departments, among other agencies.

He also stressed that he was not a member of the House appropriations committee from 2019 to 2022. Thus, he would not be competent to answer the ICI queries.

Inconsistencies

The ICI must instead immediately investigate the President, his family, and former Speaker Martin Romualdez on the flood control and other infrastructure projects in Ilocos and Eastern Visayas from 2022 to 2025, after Co alleged that they made last-minute insertions in the budget, the Davao City congressman said.

‘It is my impression that the ICI was created by President Marcos to save himself, his family, ex-Speaker Romualdez and ilk, and provide a diversion cover-up for their misdeeds,’ Duterte said in his letter.

Mamamayang Liberal Rep. Leila de Lima criticized Duterte’s decision not to appear before the ICI.

De Lima noted contradictions in Duterte’s remarks, saying that while he was supposedly open to an investigation, he also claimed that the ICI had no jurisdiction over him.

‘I would also say they are consistent in their (Dutertes’) cowardice,’ De Lima told reporters.

She also said Duterte’s refusal to appear before the ICI may be ‘a signal’ for Congress to institutionalize the body by passing House Bill No. 4453, which proposes creating a more powerful Independent Commission Against Corruption.

‘Because in this case, you can see some individuals trying to be smart just to evade accountability, finding loopholes in ICI’s power just to elude investigation, like what Congressman Paolo Duterte is doing,’ she said.

Malacañang has formally named Angelito Magno, a seasoned investigator, as acting director of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Magno’s appointment as NBI head was formalized on Dec. 3, based on a copy of a document signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Prior to his designation, Magno served as assistant director to his predecessor, former NBI director Jaime Santiago, who tendered an irrevocable resignation on Aug. 15. Malacañang, however, accepted Santiago’s resignation only on Oct. 27.

A career officer with more than three decades of service to the NBI, Magno has led various probe operations, including the Degamo-Teves case, 2023 MT Princess Empress oil spill in Oriental Mindoro and the Socorro Bayanihan child exploitation ring

A lawmaker has called for support regarding a proposal that seeks a P2,000 monthly allowance for all persons with disabilities (PWDs) regardless of their employment status, in commemoration of the International Day of People with Disability.

In a statement on Friday, Quezon City 5th District Rep. Patrick Michael Vargas said that he has filed House Bill (HB) No. 3770 or the proposed Disability Support Allowance for Persons with Disabilities Act, which pushes for stronger support to PWDs, so that ‘long-standing socioeconomic barriers’ can be addressed.

HB No. 3770, if enacted, establishes the Disability Support Allowance Program, a universal P2,000 monthly assistance that will be ‘indexed to inflation to preserve its impact on the standards of living and participation of persons with disabilities.’

According to Vargas, the reality is that PWDs often experience hardships compared to the rest of the population – which is why the government must assist them.

‘Hindi pantay ang lipunan, lalo na para sa mga persons with disability. Kaya tungkulin nating isa-isahin at ayusin ang mga bagay na naglalagay sa kanila sa dehado,’ Vargas said after the International Day of People with Disability last December 3.

(Society is not equal, especially for persons with disabilities. That’s why it is our duty to address this inequality and fix issues that place them at a disadvantage.)

Under Section 5 of the bill, the Department of Social Welfare and Development will be the implementing agency, while the following agencies will be in charge of developing the Disability Support Allowance Program:

National Council on Disability Affairs

Department of Interior and Local Government

Department of Health

Philippine Statistics Authority

local government units

representatives from organizations of PWDs

other relevant stakeholders

All PWDs with a valid disability ID will get the monthly aid, regardless of employment status and income level.

It would also not discriminate against recipients of the government’s conditional cash transfer program and those receiving other discounts like those for senior citizens.

‘This allowance shall be applicable to all persons with disabilities with disability ID card regardless of their employment status, as well as income level and/or receipt of other social protection benefits such as 4Ps and social pension for indigent senior citizens,’ the bill read.

‘In support of progressive roll-out, a disability data management system will be established to identify the population of persons with disabilities to be prioritized in the progressive implementation of the program,’ it added.

There would be three phases for the measure’s implementation, in case it is signed into law by the President:

Initial phase to be implemented within a maximum time frame of three years and will cover all PWDs aged 17 and below

Second phase to be implemented within a maximum time frame of three years thereafter and will expand the coverage of Phase 1 to include PWDs aged 18 to 59

Final phase will expand the coverage to the rest of the PWD population

Marketers know the secret to loyalty: trust.

Whether it’s a brand and its customers, a leader and a team or a government and its citizens, trust drives engagement. Imagine if tax systems applied the same principle.

Rethinking the tax experience

For many entrepreneurs, taxes feel like a yearly hurdle: forms, rules and the constant worry of penalties. The system often feels intimidating, turning compliance from a civic duty into a source of anxiety.

Some even hear lines like may quota din kami (we also have to meet a quota) from tax examiners, a stark reminder that revenue targets can sometimes overshadow fairness.

It doesn’t have to be this way. In some countries, tax agencies treat taxpayers as partners, not potential violators. They focus on guidance, not intimidation; on service, not suspicion. Every interaction is designed to be transparent, fair and educational.

A system designed for ease and fairness

Digital systems prefill tax information, calculate obligations accurately and guide taxpayers step by step. Mistakes become learning opportunities, not punishable offenses. Communication is courteous, professional and clear.

Small business owners can submit taxes online in minutes, with reminders, explanations and support that reduce friction and build voluntary compliance.

Trust fuels entrepreneurship

When entrepreneurs know the tax system is fair and predictable, they can focus on growth.

Investment decisions are no longer overshadowed by fear and innovation thrives.

Countries with transparent, predictable tax systems-Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the Nordic nations like Denmark, Sweden, Finland-consistently see higher business registration rates, longer startup survival and stronger investor confidence.

A story of tax reform: Rwanda

In 2000, Rwanda collected taxes equal to about 8 percent of gross domestic product. Today, thanks to digital filing, simplified regimes for small businesses and responsive taxpayer support, that share has risen to 14 to 16 percent. Entrepreneurs can now file online, access clear guidance and resolve issues easily.

This shift from enforcement to service demonstrates that fairness and transparency encourage voluntary compliance.

No fear, just partnership

The hallmark of effective systems is a no-fear culture.

Education, support and cooperation reduce errors, increase compliance and foster mutual respect.

Automated, prefilled returns and real-time support empower taxpayers instead of causing anxiety, creating a cycle where compliance is voluntary and sustainable.

Civic pride in action

Paying taxes is not just a legal duty; it’s a contribution to the collective good.

Roads, schools, health care, social services and infrastructure projects like flood control are visible outcomes of participation.

When governments act fairly and transparently, citizens respond with trust, engagement and pride, reinforcing the system and creating a virtuous circle of cooperation and prosperity.

The marketing lesson for governments

Marketers know loyalty grows when experiences are frictionless and trust is high. The same principle applies to taxation: citizens comply willingly when they see fairness, clarity and respect.

Governments that adopt this mindset create environments where entrepreneurship thrives, innovation flourishes and economic growth accelerates, without raising rates.

Principles for the future

Other nations can learn from these examples. Tax systems can be clear, digital and supportive, turning compliance from a feared obligation into a shared responsibility.

These are the key principles:

Treat taxpayers as partners, not suspects.

Prioritize service, clarity and fairness over arbitrary assessments.

Remove fear and harassment.

Use digital systems to simplify, educate and guide.

Encourage entrepreneurship through predictable, fair tax policies.

A Philippine perspective

As the Philippines modernizes government services, from digital initiatives at the Department of Public Works and Highways and Land Transportation Office to citizen-centric systems in frontline offices, it’s time to reimagine the Bureau of Internal Revenue through the same service mindset.

Treating taxpayers as partners could shift compliance from fear-based to trust-based, strengthening both revenue collection and respect for government.

A call to rethink tax systems

Ultimately, this is more than policy; it’s a mindset. Whether building a brand, a business or a nation, people give more when they believe in what they’re part of.

Tax systems that embrace partnership over confrontation, clarity over confusion and support over fear do more than collect revenue. They nurture innovation, build trust and fuel growth.

For governments, the lesson is clear. Approach taxation like a marketer approaches a customer: simplify, support, educate and inspire trust.

The returns, in terms of compliance, entrepreneurship and economic growth, far outweigh any penalty.-CONTRIBUTED

(Josiah Go is a business thought leader. He and marketing anthropologist Chiqui Escareal-Go created the Trust Economy Flywheel and Trust-Based Leadership frameworks.)