mercadoforpresident

1st On-Line Presidential Forum

2010 Will Be A "National Referendum"
On The Income Tax For 10 Million Taxpayers

The race has begun!

Presidentiables are jockeying for media attention.

They want their names in the headlines of newspapers. And to me, that's good so the public can start scrutinizing their persons and why they are running.

I'm taking it easy. Probably, I am the most relaxed 2010 presidentiable . Why so? Because I don't want to be worried about this and that. To me, since I believe that it is the Holy Spirit of God who is giving me the desire and the idea on why I should run, why should I worry?

Running in 2010 will be a lot of fun, if you ask me. I'll be meeting a lot of people,will be interviewed by the media, communicate to more than 90 million people about why I am running, will be invited to social breakfasts for free, and have the attention of the nation to what I am going to say on national television and radio during the presidential debates. What more can one ask for?

This won't happen if I'll stay on the sidelines, will it? So, anyone who says that running in 2010 is a wild idea does not really know what's in my mind.

Here are some questions for a start of this 2010 On-Line Presidential Forum.

QUESTION : Why will you run in 2010?

Bishop of the Right and the Poor(BRP) : Generally speaking, I will run to spread out righteous ideas. The first righteous idea which I want to spread out is this : If we want a rich and mighty nation, we should repent of our sins and go back to God. Those who steal should stop stealing. Those who rebel should stop their rebellion because the Bible states that "rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft". Intriguers should cease their intrigues. Immorals should repent and turn to God. If we stop sinning, then the Lord God will forgive us and bless our nation. Without repentance and a return to the Lord God of Israel, no law made or which will be made can transform our nation from poverty and turmoil to abundance and peace. Why should our nation become rich when we are killing and destroying one another? Simply look at Cambodia during the murderous communist dictatorship of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge. Or Iraq and Afghanistan. Tell me a nation which is rich without peace and righteousness. So the first righteous idea touches on the spiritual needs of Filipinos. The second righteous idea touches on our material needs . I want to see a higher income for Filipino families, a higher business growth, and adequate government revenues. This will be done through what we will call the MERCADO FORMULA which is : WEGG+HIS+BP=SEG. We will make this formula known even to elementary and high school students so that even at their young ages, they will already know how to achieve a strong and sustainable economic growth for the Philippines. Let's help prepare the next generation.The MERCADO FORMULA can be stated in a "charismatic" statement which is : WEGG HIS BP EQUALS SEG. Even a grade one student can memorize it, and when he does, he knows the formula for a richer Philippines. WEGG stands for "wise,exemplary,godly and good government", HIS stands for "Higher Incomes, Spendings and Savings" for families, businesses and government, BP stands for "Better Productivity" and SEG stands for "strong and sustainable social and economic growth".

QUESTION : How will you increase Filipino family incomes, business growth, and government revenues through the MERCADO FORMULA?

BRP : A distinctive of the MERCADO FORMULA is the removal of the individual income tax by a presidential directive or by an act of congress. I will go for the act of congress, but as President, I can immediately direct the Bureau of Internal Revenue(BIR) to stop implementing the collection of the income tax because this is what the Filipino taxpayers want, pending the amendment of the National Tax Code of 1997. The removal of the individual income tax will increase family incomes of income taxpayers that will number more than 10 million by 2010.

QUESTION : How will business grow?

BRP : Well, when families will have more money, they will buy more goods for their families needs, as well as pay for services. Higher business sales will be the result for micro,small,medium,and macro businesses. The farmers, the fishermen, the market vendors, and all micro businessmen will benefit as well as the macro businessmen. Filipinos have a low per capita income, perhaps among the lowest in Asia . How do we expect tremendous business sales growth when family income is very poor? Low incomes means low spendings and low savings. Low incomes will likewise pull down productivity. So, that's where we are at the moment. There is economic growth, the best in so many decades. But this economic growth is primarily shouldered by the taxpayers, particularly from the middle class. He or she pays the income tax, the E-VAT, the excise tax, and other taxes. So life has become more difficult for the taxpayer, though the government has become very rich. I want to ease the taxpayer's suffering. I want him and her to know that there is a solution to his and her suffering. And so, it is a must that I run.

QUESTION : Won't high liquidity result to inflation?

BRP : Yes, if the government does not know how to check inflation. Inflationary tendencies are primarily caused by the paucity of supply when there is a strong demand. To check inflation, the government should see to it that the supply is more than enough to meet the demand. I will increase productivity by introducing more players. So, I will break monopolies. I will remove unnecessary rules in establishing businesses in the country, so putting up a business is as fast and easy like in Hong Kong.

QUESTION : Since the BIR will stop collecting the individual income tax under your administration, this will result to poor government revenues. How will you finance government operations and balance the budget?

BRP : I have carefully studied this matter, probably more than any presidentiable ever did. And after careful study, I came to the conclusion that the government may even achieve higher collection of revenues if it gives up collecting the income tax. Why is this so? I know. The taxpayer is the proverbial goose which lays the golden eggs. The government is not the goose; it is the recipient of the golden eggs. So, don't strangle the goose. Take good care of the goose. Feed it well. Make it very healthy. Then, it will be more productive. It will give the government more golden eggs. I believe that the government should be rich to finance its operations. I believe that government should avoid wasteful spendings. It should put its money where it counts most. This means that we will have to re-examine the national budget's allocations. I favor the Koizumi revolution in Japan when it comes to government spending - spend more for where it counts most, spend less for where it counts least. I believe that a government should be rich through a rich people, not at the expense of the people. Any Filipino President who has this in mind is in the right direction.

QUESTION : Villar,de Castro,Roxas,Binay, Gordon, and Fernando have already publicly declared their intention to run for president. They are well known to the public. But you have not publicly declared your intention to run. How will you win?

BRP : I will publicly declare my intention to run sooner. What I want to do right now is to popularize the idea to the income taxpayers. By 2010, the campaign which I want to see is the campaign of the more than 10 million income taxpayers, not just mine. I want to be just peripheral in 2010; the giant strike force will be the income taxpayers. So, it will be Villar, de Castro, Roxas,Gordon,Binay,Fernando, and whoever else VS the 10 Million Income Taxpayers. I will ask the Income Taxpayers : Do you want to continue paying your income tax year after year after year after year? Do you want your children to pay the income tax year after year after year after year? And do you want to see your grandchildren pay the income tax year after year after year after year? These are the questions I will ask them. If their answer is "Yes, we want to continue paying the income tax, and we want our children and grandchildren to continue paying the income tax," then they should vote for the other presidentiables. But if they will say, "NO! We don't want to pay the income tax anymore! And we don't want our children and grandchildren to pay the income tax! Enough is enough!!!!!!!" Then, I will urge them to vote and campaign for me among their family voters - the 18 years old and above who will eventually join the labor force and also pay the income tax. I want to see the 2010 presidential elections as a national referendum on the income tax for the more than 10 million income taxpayers . Yes or No? That is the question. I will throw the question to the voters and will make them decide. Yes and No. These will be their answers. Win or lose, I will be a happier candidate after the May 2010 national elections.

QUESTION : If you lose, will you support the winner?

BRP : I will congratulate the winner in the spirit of true sportsmanship. And I will support him and pray for his success in governance. That's a Biblical injunction - that we obey and pray for our leaders. I don't intend to be a sore loser in case I lose.

QUESTION : And if you win, do you feel you can succeed in governance? A cabinet member said that it is difficult to govern Filipinos.

BRP : By God's mighty hand, I will succeed. The Lord has given me the idea on how to make Filipino families rich, how to attain higher business growth, and higher government revenues. I know how to handle the communist insurgency and the Islamic insurgency. I will be tough on corruption and other crimes. I will lead by example. I will invite the brightest to join my team. I will not ask my subordinates to do that which I can not do. I will be a kind and tough President of the Philippines.