Regine Velasquez-Alcasid took to social media recently to express her frustration over the country’s high taxes and alleged corruption, saying Filipinos are not poor but are “being made poor.”
In a lengthy Facebook post, the singer-actress lamented that nearly half of her income goes to the government, yet she feels she receives nothing in return.
“44% po ng pinaghirapan ko napupunta sa gobyerno pero wala akong nakukuha kahit anong benepisyo,” she wrote.
The veteran singer-actress and television host said she has always worked hard and paid her taxes properly, but continues to wonder why basic public services remain poor despite the heavy burden on taxpayers.
Velasquez’s post, which quickly went viral, denounced what she described as “garapalang nakawan at korapsyon sa Pilipinas”—a system that she believes continues to keep ordinary citizens in hardship.
“Hindi po ba dapat ipaglaban nating lahat na meron tayong proper health care? Hindi ba dapat ipaglaban nating lahat na mabigyan ng magandang edukasyon ang ating mga anak, matitinong infrastructure kasama pa dito ang ating seguridad?” she asked.
“Bakit ako nagbabayad ng tax na halos 50% ng pinaghirapan ko tapos wala akong napakikinabangan sa ibinabayad ko??!!”
Velasquez also compared the Philippine tax system to those of other countries, pointing out that citizens abroad often enjoy pensions and welfare benefits in exchange for high tax rates.
“Sa ibang bansa, pag ganito kalaki ang tax, may pension kang matatanggap pag nag-retire ka. Dito, nganga,” she said.
She further criticized the politicization of government aid, saying officials often take credit for distributing goods that are actually funded by taxpayers.
“Pag nagbibigay sila ng ayuda, kailangan nila ipamukha sa inyo na galing sa sarili nilang bulsa ang natatanggap n’yo. Nakapaskil pa mga mukha nila sa isang salop na bigas, na para bang galing sa pinaghirapan nila ang ipinamimigay nila,” she said.
Velasquez ended her post with a powerful statement that has since resonated widely online: “I’m ranting again, I know, pero ang laki ng utang ng gobyerno sa mga Pilipino. Hindi tayo mahirap—pinahihirapan tayo!”
