Manny Pacquiao has nothing to be ashamed of
Manny Pacquiao has nothing to be ashamed of
Posted 01:03am (Mla time) Mar 23, 2005
By Neal Cruz
Inquirer News Service
Editor's Note: Published on page A12 of the March 23, 2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer
THIS may sound like heresy to diehard Manny Pacquiao fans, but Erik Morales won that fight fair and square. Manny may have the speed and power, but Morales is the better boxer. It was like a bullfight, pitting a fast, furious and powerful bull against a skillful matador. Morales had the experience, guile, good tactics, effective defense. Manny didn't land a solid punch on him. Even if Manny didn't get that cut from an accidental head butt, he would have had a difficult time turning the tables on Morales.
But although he lost, Manny need not be ashamed of anything. He put up a good fight. He has a fighting heart. As the ring announcer said repeatedly, he is a warrior. He lost only by a very slim margin, 2 points, 115-113. With a little luck, it could have gone the other way.
What Team Pacquiao won was the propaganda war. Manny's handlers were better propagandists than fight tacticians. The hype was so much that when Manny lost, the shock and disappointment were much more. Manny and his handlers may have believed their own propaganda and became over-confident. But boxing bouts are not won by propaganda but by the fists of the boxers.
Nevertheless, the Morales-Pacquiao bout was a good fight. It will be one of the classics that will be watched again and again. There should be a return match. That would draw even a bigger crowd.
* * *
I received a quick reply from councilor Ariel E. Inton, majority leader of the Quezon City Council, to our column last Friday on the ordinance raising real estate taxes in Quezon City.
The column cited four reasons why raising taxes in Quezon City at this time is not justified:
1. The city does not need the extra money, as it is the richest city in the country with a P5.8-billion income last year.
2. With the prices of everything going up, this is the worst time to raise taxes. Government should be the first to help the people cope with diminishing incomes, not add to the people's burden.
3. The taxes homeowners and businessmen pay are not spent to help them against squatters. On the contrary, the money is spent to coddle squatters who steal their property and don't pay taxes.
4. Although the Local Government Code puts the maximum realty tax at 20 percent, that is not mandatory. That is the limit precisely to prevent local government units from abusing their taxing powers. Local officials are expected to use their common sense.
But Inton has his own reason for raising taxes. "It is not true," he wrote, "that the City Council did not conduct proper hearings on the proposed increases. The council conducted a series of hearings for which notices were issued and private sector representatives were invited. The hearings were well attended and the opinions of the private sector representatives were heard and recorded.
"They were allowed sufficient time to submit their position papers. It was precisely after the public hearings that the City Council approved an increase of only 3 percent for real estate property and only 5 percent instead of 10 for commercial and industrial areas.
"While almost all the cities of Metro Manila have imposed the maximum tax rates of 20 percent for residential and 50 percent for commercial and industrial real estate properties, it is only this time that Quezon City is increasing the rates which will take effect only next year. Marikina City imposed the maximum rates as early as 1994, San Juan in 1997, and Manila last year.
"Even if Quezon City imposes the allowable maximum rates, it will still be collecting the lowest real estate taxes compared to other cities in the National Capital Region mainly because it has one of the lowest market value assessments in real estate properties. The last general revision of tax rates for real estate properties was conducted in 1996. Yet, under the Local Government Code, this general revision is to be conducted every three years.
"This means that in Quezon City, the market value of real estate properties has not been revised and adjusted since 1996 or for the past nine years.
"Quezon City has to impose a modest increase in tax rates to meet its increasing budgetary requirements. If the income of Quezon City remains the same in the next three years, the city treasury would again be in the red, something Mayor Belmonte wants to avoid or prevent. Remember that in 2001, when he first assumed office, the city treasury had a cash deficit of over P10 million, outstanding debts and loans amounting to over P2.5 billion and a budget deficit of nearly P1 billion.
"For the last three years, Quezon City has been enjoying a surplus budget. But its income will not increase; it will reach a plateau in two years and may have to experience another budget deficit thereafter.
"Private roads, under the law, are taxable. Whenever turned over to the city, they become tax-free. Many subdivisions now want to turn over their private roads to the city as they see numerous city streets long neglected now being improved and concreted.
"Mayor Belmonte has always attended to the concerns and needs of both subdivision owners and the informal settlers. His office, particularly on Mondays, is always open to callers. He has never been absent, even once, on any Monday which is known in Quezon City as Peoples' Day."
* * *
TODAY'S JOKE: Manny Pacquiao's fans are grumbling that their idol lost because there were too many congressmen during the fight at Las Vegas. They said while fans were cheering him "Manny, Manny, Manny!" the congressmen were shouting "Money, Money, Money!"
Posted 01:03am (Mla time) Mar 23, 2005
By Neal Cruz
Inquirer News Service
Editor's Note: Published on page A12 of the March 23, 2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer
THIS may sound like heresy to diehard Manny Pacquiao fans, but Erik Morales won that fight fair and square. Manny may have the speed and power, but Morales is the better boxer. It was like a bullfight, pitting a fast, furious and powerful bull against a skillful matador. Morales had the experience, guile, good tactics, effective defense. Manny didn't land a solid punch on him. Even if Manny didn't get that cut from an accidental head butt, he would have had a difficult time turning the tables on Morales.
But although he lost, Manny need not be ashamed of anything. He put up a good fight. He has a fighting heart. As the ring announcer said repeatedly, he is a warrior. He lost only by a very slim margin, 2 points, 115-113. With a little luck, it could have gone the other way.
What Team Pacquiao won was the propaganda war. Manny's handlers were better propagandists than fight tacticians. The hype was so much that when Manny lost, the shock and disappointment were much more. Manny and his handlers may have believed their own propaganda and became over-confident. But boxing bouts are not won by propaganda but by the fists of the boxers.
Nevertheless, the Morales-Pacquiao bout was a good fight. It will be one of the classics that will be watched again and again. There should be a return match. That would draw even a bigger crowd.
* * *
I received a quick reply from councilor Ariel E. Inton, majority leader of the Quezon City Council, to our column last Friday on the ordinance raising real estate taxes in Quezon City.
The column cited four reasons why raising taxes in Quezon City at this time is not justified:
1. The city does not need the extra money, as it is the richest city in the country with a P5.8-billion income last year.
2. With the prices of everything going up, this is the worst time to raise taxes. Government should be the first to help the people cope with diminishing incomes, not add to the people's burden.
3. The taxes homeowners and businessmen pay are not spent to help them against squatters. On the contrary, the money is spent to coddle squatters who steal their property and don't pay taxes.
4. Although the Local Government Code puts the maximum realty tax at 20 percent, that is not mandatory. That is the limit precisely to prevent local government units from abusing their taxing powers. Local officials are expected to use their common sense.
But Inton has his own reason for raising taxes. "It is not true," he wrote, "that the City Council did not conduct proper hearings on the proposed increases. The council conducted a series of hearings for which notices were issued and private sector representatives were invited. The hearings were well attended and the opinions of the private sector representatives were heard and recorded.
"They were allowed sufficient time to submit their position papers. It was precisely after the public hearings that the City Council approved an increase of only 3 percent for real estate property and only 5 percent instead of 10 for commercial and industrial areas.
"While almost all the cities of Metro Manila have imposed the maximum tax rates of 20 percent for residential and 50 percent for commercial and industrial real estate properties, it is only this time that Quezon City is increasing the rates which will take effect only next year. Marikina City imposed the maximum rates as early as 1994, San Juan in 1997, and Manila last year.
"Even if Quezon City imposes the allowable maximum rates, it will still be collecting the lowest real estate taxes compared to other cities in the National Capital Region mainly because it has one of the lowest market value assessments in real estate properties. The last general revision of tax rates for real estate properties was conducted in 1996. Yet, under the Local Government Code, this general revision is to be conducted every three years.
"This means that in Quezon City, the market value of real estate properties has not been revised and adjusted since 1996 or for the past nine years.
"Quezon City has to impose a modest increase in tax rates to meet its increasing budgetary requirements. If the income of Quezon City remains the same in the next three years, the city treasury would again be in the red, something Mayor Belmonte wants to avoid or prevent. Remember that in 2001, when he first assumed office, the city treasury had a cash deficit of over P10 million, outstanding debts and loans amounting to over P2.5 billion and a budget deficit of nearly P1 billion.
"For the last three years, Quezon City has been enjoying a surplus budget. But its income will not increase; it will reach a plateau in two years and may have to experience another budget deficit thereafter.
"Private roads, under the law, are taxable. Whenever turned over to the city, they become tax-free. Many subdivisions now want to turn over their private roads to the city as they see numerous city streets long neglected now being improved and concreted.
"Mayor Belmonte has always attended to the concerns and needs of both subdivision owners and the informal settlers. His office, particularly on Mondays, is always open to callers. He has never been absent, even once, on any Monday which is known in Quezon City as Peoples' Day."
* * *
TODAY'S JOKE: Manny Pacquiao's fans are grumbling that their idol lost because there were too many congressmen during the fight at Las Vegas. They said while fans were cheering him "Manny, Manny, Manny!" the congressmen were shouting "Money, Money, Money!"
posted by Dante at 11:00 AM
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