Rebisco founder dislodges Pacman as top taxpayer

Food manufacturer Rebisco Group founder Jacinto Ng Sr. topped the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) biggest 500 individual taxpayers for 2014, dislodging last year’s topnotcher, eight-division boxing champ and Sarangani Representative Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao. 

Data released by the BIR showed that the Filipino-Chinese businessman, who is also the chairman of Asia United Bank Corp., paid a total of P280.11 million last year.

His payment is far higher than Pacquiao’s P210.31 million. Mercury Drug Corp. president Vivian Que Azcona came in third after paying a total of P153.55 million.

Logging tycoon and Palawan Governor Jose Chavez Alvarez is the fourth highest individual tax payer with P73 million.

Jacinto Co Ng Jr., who is the chief executive officer of real estate developer Elantival Enclaves Inc., made it to the top five after paying P66.87 million.

Presidential sister and TV personality Kristina Bernadette Cojuangco Aquino or more popularly as Kris Aquino is the 6th highest payer with P54.53 million.

The others who made it to the top 10 are Smart Communications executive Ronaldo Romero Soliman, Coca Cola Bottlers Phils. Inc. President and CEO William Schultz, San Miguel Corp. (SMC) CEO Ramon See Ang, UBS Investments Philippines Managing Director Lauro Baja III. They are the seventh to 10th, respectively.

And while most of those who made it to the top 10 are businessmen, television personalities also made it to the list.

These include Sharon Cuneta-Pangilinan at number 13, John Lloyd Cruz, 22; Anne Curtis-Smith, 32; Vic Sotto, 45; Piolo Pascual, 48; Coco Martin, 66; and Sara Geronimo, 72.

The complete list of the Top 500 Individual Taxpayers for 2014 can be accessed at www.bir.gov.ph. PNA