Filipino actor, model, and swimmer, and a contract artist of ABS-CBN’s Star Magic, Enchong Dee tweeted his sentiments on paying his tax obligations.
“Ngayong araw magbabayad na naman ako ng tax, pagkatapos laitin ang middle class, ipasara ang pinagtatrabahuhan, at walang mass testing (note: hindi kailangan buong bansa). Pwede ba i-delay ng bayaran ng tax??”
https://twitter.com/enchongdee777/status/1265141003976970240
Recently, there had been arguments on whether the middle class should get cash assistance from the government due to lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Senator Cynthia Villar, who is known as the richest senator in the country, said during a Senate hearing that those in the middle class should not be given financial assistance. “Bakit bibigyan ‘yung middle class eh may trabaho sila? Kahit lockdown, sumusuweldo sila. Kung employed naman ng mga private, nagsusuweldo din sila. Kaya nga nahihirapan ‘yung mga companies because they have to pay the salaries even if there is no business.”
However, following the criticisms due to the statement, Villar apologized, saying what she said was not “meant to be an affront to the hardworking middle class of the country.”
On May 5, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) issued a cease and desist order against ABS-CBN, directing the network to stop its broadcast operations after its franchise expired on May 4.
The 11 bills seeking the renewal of franchise of ABS-CBN remain pending before the House committee on legislative franchises, the earliest of which, at least in the 18th Congress, was filed in July 2019.
The first congressional hearing on the network franchise – whether a new one or a renewal – was done on the same day Enchong tweeted.
Enchong also retweeted an art card featuring a quote from ABS-CBN President and CEO’ Carlo Katigbak.
Randam namin ito.#IbalikAngABSCBN pic.twitter.com/46pW6sXWiZ
— Direk Lauren (@direklauren) May 26, 2020
Enchong also hit on mass testing which has yet to be done in the country. The Government has already clarified that what they have been doing is not mass testing but expanded targeted testing. This came after Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque drew flak following his statement saying the government has no program for ‘mass testing’ and it would be up to the private sector if they would want to conduct such.
“Wala pong bansa sa buong mundo na tinetest ang lahat ng kanilang mamamayan. Kaya nga po mali ang terminong mass testing,” Roque said in one of his press briefings.
The Government has also claimed that the country has reached its target number of tests per day at around 30,000.
While many still question it, Roque said on Monday: “Ang original target po ay 30,000 by May 30 pero nung Mayo 20 po, nakaabot na po tayo sa 32,100 tests per day. Nalampasan po natin ang ating target.”
