It is now 2018 and the new year has a lot of exciting stuff in store for us. Aside from a throng of new cars, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles and even mobile gadget features that we at Wheels PH will be coming out with, we have this new set of taxes welcoming us this year. Watch out for our upcoming article regarding this issue. But for now, here are three of our wishes for 2018:
Car Buyers be Vigilant
With the new Excise Tax on automobiles implemented this year, I wish that automobile companies do not charge buyers with the new taxes on units that were produced and or imported in 2017. Buyers should be vigilant. Unscrupulous car dealers might be selling you cars manufactured and or brought in to the country in 2017, but charge buyers with 2018 taxes. This can be considered profiteering as taxes for those units were already paid for last year. To be sure when the car was manufactured/imported, ask the dealer for a copy of the COE to ascertain when the taxes were paid for.
Responsible Reporting From Motoring Writers
That my fellow motoring journalists be more circumspect in the articles/analyses they come out with on social media. Be careful with data fed to you by some ‘so-called’ friends in the auto industry. Best example is the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN). During the deliberation period, some of you kept on coming out with conjured prices of new cars that caused panic in the market. As a result, there was panic buying for cars with a number of shrewd car dealerships jumping on the opportunity to charge buyers more by asking them for a premium just so their units will be released prior to the implementation of the new tax scheme. Yes, some may have saved some buyers a few thousand pesos but a lot more lost because a big number of models actually are now cheaper (up to 500K less).
It seems that you just helped your source sell a lot more cars and have a windfall at the expense of the consumers.
Always remember that you are journalists and not opinion makers. Report only what has happened and not what you think will happen. As a journalist, you have the responsibility to the public to be always truthful, accurate, objective, impartial, and fair.
Netizens: “Be part of the solution, not part of the problem”
With the advent of social media, more and more motorists are getting involved in spreading news of traffic violators/violations through vblogs in social media. This is really great as the attention of violators/violations are immediately called upon and concerned authorities are immediately informed, who in turn address the issue. However, just like the media, concerned citizens should also be careful in sharing these posts and make sure that the information being shared is true and correct, so as not to harm the identities of the individuals involved. Case in point is when netizens shared the social media account of a wrong person linked to a fatal road rage incident back in 2016.
From all of us here at Wheels Philippines, Happy New Year!
How true Ira, many versions of the bill were being pandered by the legislators and technical folks who were eager to reach out to the public to publicize their version of the bill. So it was news and the newsmen reacted to using their versions to compute. Whether it was a good or bad thing truth wise, one thing for sure is that the reactions of the public to the various versions helped push for healthy multi-informed discussions. But if it was detrimental – caveat emptor – then there should have been a news black out to prevent people, media included from speculating and fueling panic buying.