Actress Bela Padilla took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday to express concern over what she described as being charged excessively for an online purchase.
In her post, Padilla tagged the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and revealed the exact amount she was asked to pay, which she claimed was far beyond her own calculation.
“Hi @CustomsPH good morning! I’m being charged P4,600 in taxes for a shipment with an P11,000 value,” she wrote.
“I used your online calculator and should only be charged P1,650. I usually shop online and get packages of higher value, so I more or less know when the taxes are too high even without your calculator. Surely, we shouldn’t pay almost half the value of our item in taxes, no?” Padilla added.
In the comments, Padilla clarified that she was not against paying taxes, as long as they were computed correctly.
“I don’t mind paying the right taxes,” she explained. “But I’m not paying P4,600+ for shampoo,” she wrote in another reply.
The Bureau of Customs later issued a statement saying the matter “will be resolved privately and directly with the complaining party.” The agency added that it “will act on all verified complaints equally, without any preference or bias, whether from private individuals or known personalities.”
The BOC also reminded the public that “the actual amount of duties and taxes may differ from the estimated amount provided.”