Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez-Alcasid did not mince words as she aired her frustration on social media over what she described as the unfair tax burden on hardworking Filipinos, including herself, who receive little to no tangible benefits in return.
In a fiery Instagram post on October 13, Regine revealed that nearly 44% of her earnings go to taxes—32% in income tax and 12% in VAT (value-added tax)—but she feels that the government gives nothing back.
“Ang aking income tax ay nasa 32% plus meron po akong VAT na 12%. 32 + 12 = 44% po ng pinaghirapan ko napupunta sa gobyerno pero wala akong nakukuha kahit anong benepisyo,” Regine wrote.
She went on to question where taxpayers’ money actually goes and urged the public to demand proper healthcare, quality education, honest infrastructure projects, and safety for all citizens.
“Bakit ako nagbabayad ng tax na halos 50% ng pinaghirapan ko tapos wala akong napakikinabangan sa ibinabayad ko??!! Sa ibang bansa, pag ganito kalaki ang tax, may pension kang matatanggap pag nag-retire ka—dito, nganga,” she lamented.
The OPM icon reflected on how her understanding of poverty changed through the years.
“Nung bata ako, ang akala ko mahirap ang Pilipinas. Pero ngayon na pagtantutantu ko—hindi tayo mahirap! Pinahihirapan tayo!” she declared.
According to Regine, the Philippines is not a poor country but one that has been deliberately kept struggling by systemic corruption and mismanagement.
“Hindi mahirap ang Pilipinas. Sa aking palagay, hinayaan nilang isipin nating mahirap ang bansa natin para hindi tayo magreklamo at para umasa na lang tayo sa mga barya-barya nilang binibigay,” she said.
The singer also criticized how government aid or “ayuda” is often politicized and used for image-building.
“Pag nagbibigay sila ng ayuda, kailangan nila ipamukha sa inyo na galing sa sarili nilang bulsa ang natatanggap n’yo—nakapaskil pa mga mukha nila sa isang salop na bigas, na para bang galing sa pinaghirapan nila ang ipinamimigay nila,” Regine wrote.
She ended her post with a sharp statement calling out corruption and misplaced priorities in governance: “Ang laki ng utang ng gobyerno sa mga Pilipino. Hindi tayo mahirap—pinahihirapan tayo!”
Her post quickly went viral, resonating with many Filipinos who echoed her frustration over high taxes, lack of public services, and rampant corruption.
Regine, known for her candor and social awareness, has been vocal about political and social issues in recent years. In a previous post, she also remarked, “Alam n’yo kung bakit hindi natatapos ang korapsyon? Kasi walang consequences. Justice is selective.”
Fans and fellow artists praised the Songbird for her courage in speaking out, saying she used her platform not only to sing—but also to stand up for ordinary Filipinos burdened by inequality and injustice.
