on being a good citizen

I remembered today why i hadn't bothered to look at my payslips for a long time. It just depresses me each time i look at my salary and the corresponding deductions across it. My number one, and probably only, eyesore would be the tax deducted from what i worked hard for during the past two weeks. Over the past few weeks, we have been receiving announcements through emailblasts that we would no longer be receiving printed payslips (our company is pro-sustainable development) because it would be more efficient if HR jsut posts them online for us to view at our own pleasure. I was curious, so against my better judgment, i viewed my latest payslip online.

It did not depress me this time. It INFURIATED me. Who would not be furious to find out that, (in my case) aside from my regular, self-imposed deductions, i am wasting 25% of my salary on taxes that serve no particular benefit for me.

Of course, during my stint at the university both as a political science and, eventually, as a business student, i have been bombarded with tax subjects which were meant to educate and to influence me that taxes are there to support the resouces provided for me by the government. i believed that, of course. Though, even then, i already had a hard time naming those resources. Now, as a taxpayer, i am having a doubly hard time naming those resources and those benefits.

But, for fairness sake, let me count the benefits that my government should provide for me as a thank you for the taxes that i am paying:

1. Free hospitals. Most free hospitals in the Philippines stink. And admit it or not, if you have the money to pay for a private hospital, you would not want to wake up inside one of these buildings.
2. Airports. Well, NAIA is relatively better compared to those found in the provinces, but heck, i still have to pay terminal fees every time. And isn't this supposed to be covered by my taxes already?
3. Police protection. Right now, i am finding it really hard to trust the PNP. Broadcasts from 24 Oras and TV Patrol reinforce this doubt on my part everyday.
4. Roads. The last time I went home to Naga, my trip was delayed for several hours because a portion of the national road is undergoing repairs (Blame goes to the corrupt DPWH and DILG officials who pad up the budget for roads, build these roads at so much less than the construction specs, and pad up their pockets instead)
   If only they reinstate the PNR all the way to Bicol, make it better and faster, i'd shut up.
5. Power Supply. Okay, this is not currently monopolized by the government. But while the MERALCO shenanigans sadden me, the prospect of a government take-over scares me even more. Gahd, the quality of government-provided benefits!
6. Schools. This is actually one government service that I want to support, because I believe in every child's right to education. But please, if part of my earnings is being used to support the DepEd. Please, make it QUALITY education, especially for the children.
7. Military Support. I dont care about the military. Really.
8. The executive office and its cohorts. OF COURSE. Where else should these people be getting all their money.

There may be more, i am not sure. I am not even interested anymore.

So, taking my cues from all of these things, what am i to do?

1. I could stop working, and save myself from hating the government every fifteen days.
2. I could put up my own business but, to not pay taxes, it will have to be an illegal one. Hmm.
3. I could just sigh, be a good citizen (by paying my share of taxes), and enjoy spending the remaining 75% of my sweldo on other things. That will still be subjected to VAT. But heck, given that i could not afford being out of job, and i certainly cannot finance my own business, this is probably my only option.
   

For now.