Nancy says BIR ad depicting doctors as 'tax cheats' done in bad taste
...senator to file reso seeking probe on responsible advertising

Senator Nancy Binay is seeking an investigation into the Bureau of Internal Revenue's (BIR) controversial tax campaign advertisement depicting doctors as a burden to other tax payers.

"I am urging my fellow senators to look into whether the portrayal of doctors as a burden to other tax payers in the print ad was done in bad taste," urged the lady senator.

Binay is set to file a resolution calling for an investigation on the issue of the half-page print and television ads, one of which cast doctors as delinquent taxpayers.

In the print ad, a doctor is shown perched on the shoulders of a grade school teacher -- their salaries and taxes were also included as proof that while doctors rake in millions, their taxes are much smaller than those of teachers'.

The message of the ad went: "when you don't pay your taxes, you're a burden to those who do. Do your share. knowyourtaxes.ph."

The Philippine Medical Association (PMA) has slammed the tax campaign advertisement which came out in the newspapers Sunday morning, saying that it was "unfair" that they were being depicted as "tax cheats".

But Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares was of the opinion that doctors should not be hurt by the ad and instead should feel ashamed because the portrayal of doctors was based on various complaints received by the BIR that doctors were not issuing receipts.

"Kahit po may mga reports ng mga doktor na hindi nagbibigay ng resibo sa mga pasyente nila, tama po ba na mag-generalize ang BIR at gamitin silang example ng mga hindi nagbabayad ng tamang buwis? Matatawag ho ba na responsableng paga-advertise ito? I think we should investigate how the ad was conceptualized -- saan po ba nanggaling ang desisyon na ngayon ay ikinalulungkot ng ating mga doktor?" inquired the lady senator.

The BIR last year said that it would launch a 'shame campaign' against tax evaders.

Its newest tax campaign ads are being perceived as the beginning of the agency's plan to name and shame tax evaders in order to raise more revenues.

"Tama po ba na gawing ehempo ng tax evaders ang mga doktor na ating hinihingan ng tulong kapag mayroon tayong iniindang karamdaman? Kung may mga reports nga po ng mga doktor na hindi nagbabayad ng tamang buwis at hindi nagi-issue ng resibo -- tama pa rin po ba na mag-generalize ang BIR sa mga advertisements na ito?" Binay asked.