Former child actress and content creator Rica Peralejo has openly criticized the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) Registration Seal Badge policy, calling it ill-timed and insulting amid ongoing concerns over government corruption.
Photo: Rica Paralejo-Bonifacio/Facebook
According to Peralejo, she felt frustrated that ordinary citizens and long-time taxpayers are heavily scrutinized to prove tax compliance while systemic corruption remains rampant in the country.
“Buong buhay ko as artista ako ay nagbabayad ng buwis. Then isang araw sasabihin need ng seal at iba pa raw yung sa artista at sa content creator or social media. Kailangang may patunay pa,” the 45-year-old actress wrote on Threads.
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“Yung mga magnanakaw walang need patunayan pero ako na nagbabayad ng buwis ever since I was 13 years of age to now, 45, hanggang October 31 ang deadline para sa seal na kailangang ipaskil sa aking platforms. Ang sakit maging Pilipino,” Peralejo added.
The actress began her career in the early 1990s when she was cast as one of the original members of the iconic youth-oriented variety show Ang TV.
Peralejo also starred in major television hits like Mula sa Puso and Saan Ka Man Naroroon, before stepping away from the showbiz industry entirely in 2013 to focus on motherhood and her faith.
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She recently made an acting comeback joining the cast of the 2025 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entry Manila’s Finest. Beyond acting, Peralejo has transitioned into a prominent social media presence, frequently advocating for intentional living, mental health, and mindful parenting.
While the actress feels strongly against the rollout of the BIR’s new policy, she clarified that compliance wouldn’t be an issue if public funds were managed and spent transparently.
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“And all of this would have been ok if only hindi tayo ninanakawan,” she said.
“In the thick of nanakawan tayo… tapos ganito. Like talaga ba? Parang sana onting update muna naman, like ano na ba nangyari sa mga binayaran kong lifestyle ng mga corrupt kong leaders? May tax break bako if napondohan ko yung gala nila sa ibang bansa at luxury bags?” she added.
Netizens quickly echoed Peralejo’s sentiments, pointing out the double standard between ordinary taxpayers and high-ranking public officials.
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“Sana sila (government officials) rin may seal na walang ninanakaw,” one netizen wrote in the replies.
“Tapos yung mga officials may undeclared income and assets na umaabot ng almost 818M pero small businesses ang punterya nila.. grabe na talagaaaa,” another Threads user added.
Under BIR regulations, vloggers, live streamers, content creators, and online business owners have until October 31, 2026, to display their official BIR Registration Seal Badge on their digital profiles and platforms.
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