The study analyzes the top 500 individual taxpayers in terms of their income tax contribution to the government coffer. The top taxpayers are categorized according to gender to determine the share of female vis-à-vis male taxpayers in the total income tax payments. The top women taxpayers are identified and their tax contributions are analyzed accordingly by occupation or line of business/work. Finally, the BIR list of top women taxpayers is compared with the women in the Forbes’ list of richest Filipinos to determine whether or not the richest Filipino women are likewise among the country’s top taxpayers.
The top 500 individual taxpayers in 2009 to 2012 were mostly corporate executives, proprietors and professionals, and celebrities. In 2012, there were 469 executives, proprietors and professionals and 31 celebrities in the top 500 individual taxpayers. Among the 469 top executives, proprietors and professionals, 384 were men and 85 were women. On the other hand, among the 31 top celebrities, 16 were men and 15 were women. Thus, over all there were 100 women vis-à-vis 400 men in the BIR List of Top 500 Individual Taxpayers in 2012
In terms of income tax payments, out of the average annual tax payment of corporate executives, proprietors and professionals amounting to PhP3.91 billion, 84% were contributed by male taxpayers while female taxpayers shared 16%. In the case of celebrities, 56% of PhP297 million average annual tax payments were shared by male while 44%, by female.
In 2012, the top female celebrity taxpayers include Kris Aquino (No. 6), Sharon Cuneta (No. 9) and Judy Ann Santos (No. 32) contributing PhP44.93 million, PhP42.03 million and PhP24.09 million in income tax, respectively. They were followed by Bea Alonzo (No. 44), Anne Curtis (No. 50) and Sarah Geronimo (No. 59) with income tax shares of PhP20.75 million, PhP19.17 million and PhP18.32 million, respectively.
From 2009-2012, there were only three (3) female celebrities who consistently landed in the top 500 individual income taxpayers, namely, Kris Aquino with the highest total tax contribution of PhP139.90 million, Sharon Cuneta, PhP83.94 million, and Kim Chiu with PhP28.06 million in total tax contribution.
Forbes, an American business magazine owned by Forbes Inc., publishes, among others, the list of top 40 richest Filipinos based on their net worth in million dollars every year. In 2009, there were seven (7) female individuals who made it in the Forbes’ list, five (5) in 2010, four (4) in 2011, and six (6) in 2012. On the average, female individuals constituted only around 10% as against 90% male during the period.
From 2009-2012, four among the richest Filipino women were consistently ranked in the Forbes’ list. During the period, only three (3) individuals appeared in the BIR’s list of Top 500 Individual Income Taxpayers, namely Vivian Que Azcona of Mercury Drug, Susan (and Lucio) Co of Puregold Price Club and Betty Ang of Monde Mission.
Women nowadays are becoming important players in various sectors of the economy. Women have continued to make inroads into the business arena, with some of them being named as among the Forbes list of richest Filipinos. More women are now holding executive/managerial positions in the corporate ladder. Also, more and more women are entering the entertainment world with many of them becoming prominent actresses and singers and well-paid product endorsers. It is not surprising therefore that more and more women become top taxpayers of the country today.
