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Last Saturday, I had my monthly checkup with my gynecologist. Unfortunately, on our way to the hospital, I slipped off the last stair in our condominium lobby. With my right foot sprained, I thought of rescheduling my checkup, as it was so difficult to walk. With a baby inside me, however, I needed to push through. I needed to ensure that she (Yes, it’s a girl!) is fine and was not harmed due to my carelessness. Thankfully, I was able to proceed with my checkup, and the baby is fine.

Just yesterday, millions of registered Filipino voters headed to their respective precincts to exercise their rights to suffrage. Leading up to Election Day, Filipinos were bombarded with countless campaign advertisements — from catchy jingles and sponsored social media posts to political rallies and public debates — all in the hope that candidates could influence and win the people’s vote. Now, candidates and voters alike are in limbo, hoping and praying that the election odds are in their favor.

The continuous globalization of trade has led to an increase in intra-group services. Intra-group services are those provided by one or more entities within a group to other fellow units, or for the benefit of the group as a whole. Such services include administrative, finance, human resources, information technology (IT), management, marketing, procurement, research and development, and technical services, among others.

In the Christian scriptures, Jesus shared this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else: “Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity — greedy, dishonest, adulterous — or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income. But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’ I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Every year, Lent — which begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Black Saturday — is observed by Christians all over the country. For many devout Christians, the season of Lent is a time for repentance, prayer, and self-reflection to strengthen one’s relationship with God.

One spring afternoon nearly 2,000 years ago, a Roman centurion watched three men die slow, agonizing deaths. That soldier especially noted one of them — Jesus Christ. Jesus had been nailed to a wooden stake. The midday sky blackened as the moment of his death approached. When Jesus died, the earth shook violently, and the soldier exclaimed, “Certainly, this man was God’s Son.”

Summer is here! As the school break starts, everyone is excited to plan where to spend their holidays. But before gearing up for the vacation, corporate taxpayers adopting calendar taxable year and individual taxpayers can’t think of enjoying summer yet until the April 15 annual income tax return (ITR) deadline passes.

It is not every day that delinquents are given the chance to avail of tax amnesty. A review of our past tax amnesties, both legislated and administrative, show that delinquents are very seldom given breaks. Of the 10 tax amnesties passed during the Marcos administration, only one covered delinquents (i.e., Presidential Decree No. 68, issued in 1972). Of the three tax amnesties passed during the Corazon Aquino administration, none covered delinquents. However, there was Executive Order No. 44, which authorized the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to accept compromise payments on delinquent accounts.