Dannyka Manangan

Regine Velasquez airs frustration over high taxes, lack of benefits: 'Hindi tayo mahirap, pinahihirapan tayo!'

Article (news)

Nikka Avegail Sabio

Push Team

<p>Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez-Alcasid took to social media to express her frustration over the lack of government benefits and services such as proper infrastructure, education, security, and healthcare despite Filipinos paying high taxes.</p><p>On her Instagram page, Regine shared her realizations about working for decades yet still feeling shortchanged by the government.</p><p>“Nung bata ako ang akala ko mahirap ang Pilipinas hindi rin nakatulong na pinanganak akong mahirap. Pero ngayon na pagtantutantu ko hindi tayo mahirap!! Pinahihirapan tayo!!!” the singer wrote. </p><div> </div><div><strong></strong></div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-9" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPvBgy9k1tH/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A9%2C%22os%22%3A4209203.9%2C%22ls%22%3A138226%2C%22le%22%3A138230.6000000001%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="881" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-9" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><strong></strong></div><div><br/></div><div> </div><p>The singer said she takes pride in being a hardworking taxpayer, but lamented that almost half of her income goes to the government without receiving any benefits in return.</p><p>“Ako po ay isang singer lamang na nagsumikap para maiahon ang aking pamilya sa hirap. Sa tulong ng ating Panginoon natulungan ko ang aking pamilya. Hanggang ngayon ako ay nag tatrabaho ng marangal nag babayad ng wastong buwis. 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 benipisyo,” Regine added.</p><p>Regine went on to emphasize that Filipinos deserve basic rights and proper access to essential services.</p><p>“Hindi po ba dapat ipaglaban nating lahat na meron tayong proper health care?? Hindi ba dapat ipaglaban nating lahat na mabigyan ng magandang edukasyon ating mga anak. Matitinong infrastructure kasama pa dito ang ating siguridad. Bakit ako nagbabayad ng tax na halos 50% ng pinaghirapan ko tapos wala akong napakikinabangan sa ibinabayad ko??!!” she noted. </p><div> </div><div><strong></strong></div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-10" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DKil2SkzR7l/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A10%2C%22os%22%3A4209238.6%2C%22ls%22%3A138226%2C%22le%22%3A138230.6000000001%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="489" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-10" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><strong></strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong> </strong></div><p>The veteran singer also compared the situation in the Philippines to other countries where taxpayers receive pensions and social benefits in return for high taxes.</p><p>“Sa ibang bansa pag ganito kalaki ang tax may pension kang matatanggap pag nag retire ka dito nganga. 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 stated.</p><p>Regine likewise criticized public officials who place their names on government aid programs, implying that the assistance came from their own money instead of taxpayers.</p><p>“Pag nag bibigay sila ng ayuda kailangan nila ipamukha sa inyo na galing sa sarili nilang bulsa ang natatanggap nyo nakapaskil pa mga mukha nila sa isang salop na bigas, na para bang galing sa pinaghirapan nila ang ipinamimigay nila (palakpakan),” she remarked.</p><p>She ended her post with a strong statement: “I’m ranting again I know pero ang laki ng utang ng gobyerno sa mga Pilipino. Hindi tayo mahirap, pinahihirapan tayo!!!!!” </p><div><strong><br/></strong></div><div><strong></strong></div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-11" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPS9Wubk8mo/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A11%2C%22os%22%3A4209262.6%2C%22ls%22%3A138226%2C%22le%22%3A138230.6000000001%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="881" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-11" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><div><strong> <script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong> </strong></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2025/10/13/atom-araullo-shares-his-thoughts-on-the-corruption-happening-in-the-country-1836"><strong>READ: Atom Araullo shares his thoughts on the corruption happening in the country </strong></a></div><div><strong> </strong></div><p>This is not the first time Regine has spoken out on social and political issues. Earlier this month, she shared an AI-generated video depicting what the Philippines could look like if corruption were eliminated.</p><p>“Kung hindi ninanakaw pera natin KAYA to eh!!!!!The thing is hindi sila marunong mahiya kahit sabihan silang magnanakaw makapal ang mukha at isinusuka na natin sila waley pa rin, mag tuturo lang sila ng iba pang magnanakaw hanggang maubos na lang nila yung ninakaw nila tapos nakaw uli. In the meantime we continue to pay taxes na pinagpaguran natin. Ano pa pwede nila lagyan ng tax ano  pa!!!!! Baka pag gising natin isang araw pati hangin may tax na!!!!!” Regine wrote. </p><p>She went on: “I’m 55 konting panahon na lang ang ilalagi namin sa mundo sana man lang maabutan namin ang isang maluwaltahing pamumuhay para sa mga Pilipino.” </p><p>On her X account, the singer once again voiced her anger over the lack of accountability in corruption cases, particularly in relation to the ongoing investigation into controversial flood control projects. </p><div> </div><div><strong></strong></div><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:550px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1974711681461936427&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2025-10-13T13%3A17%3A38.996917%3Ad504ec17-f79d-4777-af0f-b7222d01d703%26action%3Dedit&amp;sessionId=c8a56ad7fbe378adaa8bdbb8ee26ba3a41693ac3&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=550px" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:550px;height:274px;display:block;flex-grow:1" data-tweet-id="1974711681461936427"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><div><strong></strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong> </strong></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2025/9/10/personalities-express-deep-frustration-over-billions-in-flood-control-corruption-1746"><strong>READ: Celebrities express deep frustration over billions in flood control corruption </strong></a></div><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2025/9/21/vice-ganda-anne-curtis-donny-pangilinan-other-stars-join-protest-against-corruption-1652"><strong>READ: Vice Ganda, Anne Curtis, Donny Pangilinan, other stars join protest against corruption: ‘Ibalik niyo ang pera ng taumbayan’</strong></a></div><div> </div><p>“Hay hindi ko mapigilan ang sarili ko nagagalit talaga ako😂 Alam nyo kung bakit hindi natatapos ang kurapsyon?? Kasi walang consequences. Justice is selective.”</p>