We're Responsible for Vanity Tax


I am certain that you are now well- aware of this new tax proposed by some "brilliant" politicians of the Philippine government called Vanity Tax. A lot of Bloggers have already expressed their dismay and I'm sure you've read them all so I'll keep this short and sweet.


Just a recap: Representative Rodel Batocabe of Ako Bicol Partylist suggested to impose 10- 30% Vanity Tax on personal care items, cosmetics, and even cosmetology procedures instead of additional Fuel Tax to help the government gather more funds for its projects. His reason behind this drunk (sorry, had to say it) proposal is:

Ang lipstick, P300, dagdagan mo ng P30. Siguro naman ang isang taong naglilipstick ay di naman magiging pabigat ang P30 sa kaniya, para sa isang lipstick...Kung talagang mabigat na, wag ka na mag-makeup, mabubuhay ka naman. On the other hand, pag tinaas mo ang gasolina, tataas ang bilihin, tataas ang presyo ng transportasyon, tataas po ang ating pagkain dahil 'yan konektado sa lahat.

Aside from being unfounded, this reasoning is wrong on so many levels. Bloggers have already enumerated why: this law is economically unsound because it's going to impact sales and thus, a lot of jobs in the beauty industry, it's discriminatory because women will be the major bearer of this tax as makeup is not only vanity, but a requirement for jobs, it's ridiculous because it proposes to tax even medical surgeries, it's silly because it will count corrective cosmetology procedures as vanity, it's going to milk money out of an unstable industry, and it's going to widen underground industries, which are already hard to regulate as it is.

But why do we keep on getting dumb law proposals like this?

I hate to break it, but we all have a hand on this.

This is what we get for voting people who are not supposed to be in the government. This is what we get for voting based on personality rather than achievements. This is what we get for voting based on feeling and not based on critical thinking. This is what we get for voting based on popularity than background.

I read a beautiful line: a government is but a reflection of its people.

Vanity Tax is maddening, but I am not surprised that our legislators can propose something this silly.

If we don't want ridiculous laws like this one, then let's be more critical of political candidates next time.

Post a Comment

27 Comments

  1. Misogynist! If I know he's making a silly ruckus to be more popular...I wonder when majority of our voters will learn.

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    1. And this is not the first time that something this silly has been proposed as a law. Oh, when will we ever learn!

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  2. Exactly! Couldn't agree more on the last part. Because of being "uneducated voters" we get "uneducated politicians"

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  3. Thanks for this. In the next election I hope people remember your words.

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  4. "Don't tax our beauty!" 😤😤😤😤

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  5. I agree with you Miss Martha. These trapos would just propose any bill, just so they can put something under their name as an "accomplishment". If they (politicians) would stop corruption, then our government would have more than enough funds to spend on its people. No need to create new taxes.

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  6. Ewan ko ba, hindi matuto-tuto ang ating kapwa Pinoy, hindi marunong pumili ng iboboto. Tapos lahat tayo ang magsasuffer.

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  7. I agree that this proposal is baseless in its entirety! They tend to forget that some products and procedures they refer to as "vanity" would actually equate to necessity for some people. And considering the fact that most Filipinos prefer drugstore make up brands, and only a small group of people can afford luxurious beauty services, the revenue they can get out of Vanity Tax wouldn't even be a substantial amount. They would only be putting an additional burden on the people, and the fact that these politicians think as narrow-mindedly as they do is already too heavy to bear. :(

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    1. Major face palm! I do not know where these politicians get their crazy hypotheses! This is what we get for voting politicians with no solid background on governance at all!

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  8. Couldn't agree more. Irresponsible voters result to an irresponsible government.

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  9. I really don't get what's happening to our government. But let's see what's more ahead of us. Let's all be prepared.

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    1. Let's all pray for a better government and enlightened voters.

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  10. It is indeed because we have dumb public officials who dont have Brains! Pathetic politicians..

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  11. Why o why? Pati beauty products gusto pa lagyan ng tax!? But hindi nalang focus sila sa mga problema ng ating bansa. Instead of pag ka interesan ang mga beauty products.

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  12. Wala na yta talaga maisip na batas o ibang bagay na talagang kapaki pakinabang ang ibang legislators. Lahat yta ng pedeng lagyan ng tax..or kahit hindi nga pwede lalagyan nila. But good thing Ms. Martha..hindi na ipupush ni Rep. Batocabe un bill na gusto nya..nkapag isip isip siguro dahil madami talaga umalma..at nagalit.

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    1. Wala silang magawa. I'd like to think of it that way. :/

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  13. Nakakainis naman yung idea nya about sa make-up .. na wag nalang mag-make up, mabubuhay naman. Eh kung sya kaya, lagyan ng tax lahat ng sabihin niya at sabihing, manahimik nalang sya, mabubuhay naman siya. Nakaka init ng ulo. Ultimo drugstore makeups hirap na bilhin ng katulad kong nanay, na nagtatrabaho at nagme makeup to make myself look presentable. Nakakamura yang nagpropose na yan.

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    1. Thanks for sharing this, Cris. This is why I am against this tax. Everyone has the right to look and feel good, and the government should be thinking about the welfare of people too; the well- being of the nation is important as well.

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  14. This tax will bring nothing but pandemonium....utter pandemonium. Sad but true, we voted for the wrong people, and now we're facing the repercussions of this action. The ones who will be greatly affected are the poor who are forced to use the tingi system

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    1. Agree! Brands have forced to lower their prices to touch more markets and for a majority of Filipinos to enjoy the benefits of looking good and now here's a misogynist who's going to ruin it for us all.

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Let me know what you think of this post! :)