In the light of the issue between Banco de Oro Magallanes Branch and Cebu City Government regarding the former’s non-payment of correct business taxes to the latter, contrains us vendors of Cebu (United Small Vendors and Traders of Cebu City, USVTCC) to put forward our view and stand on the matter inasmuch as the issue involves not only between the LGU and BDO but covers the City’s constituents and law abiding citizens as well. For, if the assertion of the City is true - that BDO pays six pesos a day in business tax or 2,000 pesos a year, considering that the location of the bank is right at the heart of a commercially busy downtown area where trading is teeming and thus earns much from “other peoples’ money” – it is a must that the city collect the right rates from the bank.
For, if we vendors pay P10 day or P3,600 in a year, individually, to the city as a form of business tax, in order to sell our goods and items to people under the heat of the sun and other natural elements; and a city hall janitor pays around 5,000 pesos a year in taxes, there is something terribly wrong here. It is simply unfair and unjust. Not only does the bank cheat the government, it also deprives the small and poor people like us vendors of the city of the needed basic services that government is supposed to extend to us and other struggling people of cebu. The more money the city can collect in taxes from business establishments, the more the city is enabled to deliver social services to the people.
We commend the city government for dutifully demanding the right taxes from the big and moneyed bank like BDO. It is for us, an eloquent statement that the city can be fair and just if it wants to. Acts of government like this deserve good feedback for we vendors had been victims of harrassments and demolitions/clearings in the past while earnestly striving to survive by vending while paying dues to the government. May more of this kind of move by the city visit the big, moneyed and powerful businesses. May the city government become really a state of, by and for the people – by being considerate and compassionate to the small and weak of our urban community/citizenry – most of the time. It is our ardent wish that it is about time that the city begin to be inclusive of the least and weak like us by looking after our welfare not only in the short term but especially on the long term.
(Original transcript is in the vernacular translated and proof-read by the moderator of this blog site)
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USVTCC is an aggrupation of small sidewalk and ambulant vendors along N. Bacalso St., Leon Kilat St and was formed after the anti-poor policies and clearing operations of then mayor Mike Rama under the city's "beautification drive" paving way for more foreign investors in the city, inconsiderate and non-inclusive of the poor people's plight.
(Original transcript is in the vernacular translated and proof-read by the moderator of this blog site)
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USVTCC is an aggrupation of small sidewalk and ambulant vendors along N. Bacalso St., Leon Kilat St and was formed after the anti-poor policies and clearing operations of then mayor Mike Rama under the city's "beautification drive" paving way for more foreign investors in the city, inconsiderate and non-inclusive of the poor people's plight.
