Wise words from celebrity taxpayers Vice Ganda and Catriona Gray 

It used to be that the top celebrity taxpayer in the Philippines was the Queen of All Media Kris Aquino. Those days are no more after she left ABS-CBN in 2016 and the media empire’s broadcast business was shuttered by the Duterte administration nearly five years ago. 

Those were also the days when government was more transparent and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) was releasing annually a list of the country’s top 500 taxpayers. In recent years, it’s become an alphabetical list of top taxpayers per revenue district office of the BIR.

On Tuesday, March 4, the BIR launched its tax campaign “Buwis na Tapat, Tagumpay Natin Lahat” by recognizing a number of celebrities, including comedienne Vice Ganda and Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, as “top taxpaying media personalities.” 

Vice and Catriona took the opportunity to share wise words that each and every citizen should think about amid controversies surrounding the national budget. These include the transfer of P60 billion of Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) funds to the National Treasury and other red flags that have been raised over the P6-trillion-plus 2025 budget. 

Vice, in her extemporaneous response, asked the audience in Fisher Mall, Quezon City, “Alam ‘nyo ba ano ang ibig sabihin ng BIR? Alam ‘nyo ba ang Comelec?” (Do you know what BIR means? Do you know what the Comelec or Commission on Elections is?)

It was an allusion to a recent incident involving the contestant in the noon show It’s Showtime — 20-year-old Sexy Babe 2025 Heart Aquino — who, when asked by Vice what her message was to the country’s poll body, said, “Sorry po, hindi po ako masyadong knowledgeable sa Comelec.” (I’m sorry, I’m not so knowledgeable about the Comelec.) 

Vice would turn serious, however, citing the important role citizens play as taxpayers and the critical role they should also perform as watchdogs of public funds. 

“Magbayad po tayo ng buwis, obligado tayong magbayad ng buwis at dapat natin gawin ‘yun….Kaya kung obligasyon nating magbayad, karapatan din natin obligahin ang mga tatanggap at gagamit ng perang ibinabayad natin dahil hindi madali kung paano natin kinita ang ipambabayad natin ng buwis,” Vice said after receiving her award from the BIR. 

(Let’s pay our taxes, it’s our obligation to pay and we should do it….That’s why if it is our obligation to pay taxes, it’s also our right to oblige those who accept and use the money we pay since it’s not easy earning the money to pay taxes.)

“Sa bawat kilos natin, nagbabayad tayo ng buwis, hindi ‘nyo lang alam na nagbabayad ka ng buwis…At dahil nagbabayad tayo ng buwis, meron tayong karapatan na tanungin din, ‘Nasaan yung ibinayad nating buwis?’ Kasi misyon ng BIR, di ba po, gamitin ang mga perang ‘yan for nation building and to uplift the lives of the Filipino people….Kaya pagkatapos nating magbayad ng buwis, tatanungin natin, ‘Nasaan na po yung quality of life? Nasaan na po yung projects?‘”

(In every activity that we do, we pay taxes, you just don’t know it. And because we pay our taxes, we have a right to ask, “Where did our taxes go?” That’s the mission of the BIR, right, to use the money for nation building and to uplift the lives of the Filipino people….So, after we pay our taxes, we should ask, “Where’s the quality of life? Where are the projects?”) 

“‘Nasaan na po ‘yung tulay? Bakit po bumagsak ang tulay sa Isabela?’ Karapatan nating kumuwestiyon at magsalita at bumoses dahil pera po natin ang ginamit dun,” she quipped. (Where’s the bridge? Why did the bridge in Isabela collapse?)

She was referring to the Cabagan-Santa Maria Bridge in Isabela province that partly collapsed last week after a truck carrying boulders that weighed more than twice the bridge’s 40-ton load limit attempted to cross it. The P1.2-billion bridge, which took over 10 years to build, was completed only last February. 

BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. agreed with what Vice said. “Sinabi niya na magbayad tayo kahit ano pa ang mangyari pero tungkulin din natin na bantayan din…. Karapatan din naman talaga natin ‘yan na tingnan, na nagagamit ang pondo sa tamang paraan,” he told reporters.

(She said we should pay our taxes no matter what, but it’s also our duty to guard the money…. It’s really our right to see if funds are being used the right way.) 

Reforming BIR systems

Just like how she exceled in the question and answer portion of Miss Universe in 2018, Fil-Australian Catriona Gray again showed her sharpness in talking about national issues as she stressed the need for the BIR to continue reforming its systems to make it easier for citizens to pay their taxes.

“Thank you for this recognition. I take a lot of pride in being a responsible citizen, and I hope that the people that will be here today will be an example to inspire you all to do the same,” Gray, a star of Cornerstone Entertainment agency, said. 

“But I also request that the BIR continues to create systems and put them in place that allow us to be responsible taxpayers, really putting in place a system and constantly updating it, making it more accessible, increasing the technology so that we continue to fulfill our responsiblities as citizens.”

Gray has been in the entertainment headlines recently following her breakup with fiancé, actor Sam Milby. 

Kapamilya actress and model Kim Chiu, actress Julia Barretto, Kapuso actor and TV host Dingdong Dantes, Kapuso actress Jennylyn Mercado (accompanied by husband-actor Dennis Trillo), actor Albert Martinez, singer-actor Darren Espanto, and actor-model Allen Dizon were also given awards by the BIR. These celebrities graced the occasion. 

Viva Artists Agency posted photos of their star following the event. Barretto’s movie Un/Happy for You with Joshua Garcia made over P400 million at the box office in 2024. [READ: Can local movies still make money in age of streaming?]

ABS-CBN star Kathryn Bernardo was also recognized but was not at the event. She, however, posted a video thanking the BIR for the recognition saying, “As a Filipino, it is a responsibility to pay taxes on time. Even us actors are no exception.”

Likewise, her former boyfriend, Daniel Padilla, could not make it to the ceremony, but his mother, Karla Estrada, accepted the award on his behalf. In 2023, the KathNiel love team graced the event. 

Other celebrities recognized by the BIR for being top media taxpayers but could not make it were Piolo Pascual, Bea Alonzo, Vic Sotto, and Joey de Leon. – Rappler.com