Couple Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla are among the top celebrity taxpayers recognized by the Bureau of Internal Revenue for the year 2022.
The regional office of the BIR in Quezon City said that the tandem, also known by their portmanteau, “KathNiel,” was among the celebrities diligent in filing their taxes as Filipino citizens.
In their speech, Daniel affirmed that they paid “lots” of taxes while Kathryn said she hoped it would inspire others to fulfill their responsibilities as citizens.
“Malaking bagay ‘to sa’min and hopefully, this will inspire everybody to do our responsibility bilang Filipino na nagbabayad ng tax,” she said on March 8, Wednesday.
Other showbiz personalities recognized by the BIR for being top taxpayers include actors Judy Ann Santos, Maja Salvador, Coco Martin, and Liza Soberano.
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TV hosts Vic Sotto, Anne Curtis, and Willie Revillame were also on the list.
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The bureau also recognized singer Sarah Geronimo and comedian Michael V.
Taxes are fees paid to the government by its citizens to fund various social services and infrastructure crucial for nation-building and economic growth.
It is also used to fund the government’s operations and finance its development projects.
Being the lifeblood of the government, tax revenue is a critical part of the country’s economic and fiscal policy.
Failure to pay taxes is a criminal offense and the person or entity could be charged with tax evasion.
This happens when they are not reporting income, claiming false deductions, or hiding assets and income.
Tax evasion is punishable by up to P10 million or imprisonment, depending on the offense.