Filipina Boxer Pays Taxes for Her Championship Belt?

(PNA) — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) is looking into reports that a Filipina boxer and mixed martial arts fighter was told to pay Php 5,809 in taxes for her championship belt.

With this, Commissioner Alberto Lina ordered BOC Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) district collector Edgar Macabeo to submit a report on the incident involving Jujeath Nagaowa, 27, who was reportedly ordered to pay the said amount when she returned to the country recently after winning the international light flyweight title of the Women’s International Boxing Association (IBA).

“We would look into it. We would coordinate with the concerned people from the NAIA and get the facts,” he said.

At the same time, Lina asked Nagaowa to visit his or Macabeo’s office to be able to hear her side of the story.

The BOC would also check if proper coordination has been made with the Department of Finance (DOF).

“There is a policy that the rewards and trophies may be exempted from paying taxes if they are able to secure a tax exemption from the Department of Finance (DOF). If they failed to secure a tax exempt from the DOF, then they would have to pay the duties and taxes,” Lina explained.

Nagaowa, who hails from Benguet, said that a BOC-NAIA personnel told her that her belt had a dutiable value of Php 20,147.77, of which the customs’ duty was Php 3,027.13 while the value added tax was Php 2,782. She also reportedly paid a USD 30 for postage.

Last June 8, the Filipina won the international light flyweight title of the Women’s IBA in China. The belt was recently shipped to her. (PNA) RMA/FGP/SGP