MANILA — The government, struggling to overcome poor tax collection, has called on boxing champion Manny Pacquiao to encourage his countrymen to declare their income and pay taxes on time.
Pacquiao, hailed as a national sports icon despite losing to Mexican Eric Morales in Las Vegas last month, was asked to “help inspire our countrymen to be tax compliant and make tax collection more efficient,” Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Guillermo Parayno said in a letter.
“We want him to be the face for common people to encourage them to pay more taxes,” said Christine de Joya, spokeswoman for the bureau’s investor relations office said Wednesday.
She added that Pacquiao is a regular tax payer, but still owes the US and Philippine governments income taxes from the March 19 fight.
“The example you will set by declaring all your income, including awards, prizes, endorsements and other amounts you received, and your paying the corresponding tax due, if any, will be emulated by all of our countrymen,” Parayno said in the open letter to the boxer.
It wasn’t clear if Pacquiao has responded to the bureau’s request.
Newspapers reported he was bound for Los Angeles on Wednesday to consult his American lawyers about the possibility of filing charges against the Las Vegas fight promoter, American Murad Muhamad, for allegedly withholding earnings from the match.(
