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Blame it on Edward Cullen

posted on Friday, May 15, 2009 10:57 AM

It is 2:45 a.m. I am finding it hard to sleep. I have a lot of things in my mind. Lights are already turned off (not true, the light bulbs already gave up). I am already tucked in but, obviously, I have the laptop on (where else?) my lap.

Last week I was browsing through Facebook using my mobile phone while staying on the park. I have read something which really disgusted me and I found myself saying, “This cannot be happening!”

Yet, it is happening but it should not be happening. It is simply outrageous! What am I talking about? The tax on importation of books in the Philippines!

I never enjoyed nor liked the Philippine Taxation subject in the university. Until now, I do not believe I can explain how it works. One thing I am sure of and was proud of though, was that we do not pay importation taxes for books.

English is an official language and obviously we have almost every book in English. Millions of Filipinos enjoy reading and, of course, all textbooks used in school, save for one subject (Filipino), are in English. What I am trying to say is we import a lot of books! And now the Bureau of Customs is asking for money for imported books which go against Florence Agreement that allows duty free importation of books.

Corruption is one of the most horrible in things in the Philippines. It is already part of a Filipino life to hear about it on the news that we get used to it. This time though I feel like this is getting personal! I just could not take it! I have always loved reading since the time my school van (not bus) service picked me up late that I had to spend some time in the library and found a collection of hardbound classic stories. I believe it was the first time I fell in love! Now, I feel like the Bureau of Customs is ruining my love story. (I am in the point of crying now!)

From what I read, it all started with Twilight. Yes, the Twilight movie and books thingie. The Twilight series were, or maybe still are, best sellers and so obviously more orders and deliveries were made. A biggie guy of Customs most probably thought, ‘wow if we can put taxes on these then we are going to have loads of money.’ And so, they came up with the idea of putting on taxes for the importation of these books claiming that they are not educational i.e. not textbooks for school. The importers, it seem, did not have enough balls to say a word and just paid the money. Unbelievable!

The Customs is shameless! Something should be done about this and fast! (I am using a lot of exclamation marks, pardon me, but I am really exclaiming on everything!!!) I have read yesterday that a Senator Roxas is already doing something with regards to this. I hope it will not turn out as a telenovela with televised hearings and the like which usually happens in the Philippines. School term is going to start on the first week of June, and parents and students will start buying school supplies and books! Recession is already a pain and then now this happens.

I really do not know how to end this post. I can continue ranting about this but it will just go round and round that the reader will tire of my litany. I will just eat a bar of chocolate and, will hope that after a few days this tax will be removed and everything will go back to normal.

It is all Edward Cullen´s fault… and I do not even find him cute!!

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