Civil disobedience is being discussed as the next step in the anti-corruption crusade, as the plundering mafia’s mastermind is believed to be lurking in an ancient building on the north bank of the Pasig River.

The proposal calls for a three-month tax holiday as a form of public pushback against the anomalous flood control projects — misdeeds financed, ironically, by the people’s own money.

The argument in favor of the proposal is that the funds collected through taxes are pocketed rather than used to improve the public welfare.

One of the prime movers of the effort said, “When you hear the news, you learn that only a few politicians are enjoying the deductions from our wages. So this is the right time (for civil disobedience).”

A parallel action among the cause-oriented members of the House of Representatives is to file a bill to freeze tax payments for all salaried workers.

The most significant factor draining government revenues is corruption. Around P118 billion per year is lost, for instance, from anomalous and ghost flood control projects, an amount that workers shoulder.

This is aside from other infrastructure, such as farm-to-market roads and social subsidies, which are also magnets for kickbacks for legislators.

There should be enough resources to fund social services and programs, but the money goes into the pockets of politicians, all the way up to the highest office of government, as has been revealed.

The battle among crooks opened a can of worms, revealing that corruption pervades the government leadership, reaching its worst during the three years under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The protest movement seeks to prod the government into plugging the holes in revenue collection caused by corruption, rather than penalizing workers through taxes on their hard-earned income.

The protesting groups also argue that the income tax holiday will give more disposable income to Filipinos who depend on salaries.

“When workers have more income, more disposable income, they tend to spend,” goes the line of reasoning.

Disposable income is instrumental in making the wheels of the economy turn, as when consumers spend, the economy benefits.

Not paying income tax for a specific period spreads the wealth rather than concentrating it in the hands of a few. Giving money back to workers eventually benefits the economy.

The joint effort at the House would seek the President’s support by getting him to certify the bill mandating a 90-day tax break.

The tax hiatus would also allow the investigations and processes on the flood control anomalies to proceed.

The tax break would also provide workers a voice to tell the government that the architects of the corruption mess are not being held to account.

Since no one is being punished, the workers should not be made to suffer for the massive raid on the treasury.  

When you talk to ordinary Filipinos, their sentiment can be perceived regarding what’s happening.

It’s either the government leadership resolves the crisis it has created, or the public withholds the flow of money that is plundered.