Late last year, a Senate inquiry in the Philippines revealed politicians and officials had stolen at least 200 billion pesos (US$3.5 billion) from flood-control funds. Many flood control projects were never built or were poorly made. This caused public outrage and mass protests calling it "people’s money" theft. The scandal brought tax reform back into the spotlight. Some see ending the travel tax as a good step, but experts call it only a surface fix. Jonathan Ravelas, managing director of eManagement for Business and Marketing Services, said, "Moves like ending the travel tax feel more like a pressure-valve response than real reform." The travel tax charges up to 2,700 pesos (US$47) for departing travelers. Economists argue deeper problems lie in heavy reliance on consumption taxes like the 12% VAT, which the Philippines has the highest in the region. This tax hits poor families hardest, making the system unfair. The tax structure dates back to colonial times, designed to extract revenue, not develop the country. Experts claim ordinary Filipinos carry the tax burden while the rich and corporations avoid paying their dues through loopholes and corruption. Sonny Africa from Ibon Databank said, "The tax burden actually falls on ordinary Filipinos, middle class, probably the smaller businesses." Corruption worsens the problem. Deputy Ombudsman Cyril Ramos estimated in 2019 that corruption drains about 700 billion pesos annually from the national budget. Former Finance Secretary Ralph Recto expressed dismay at the flood fund scandal, which might have cost over 100 billion pesos from 2023 to 2025. Critics question why taxpayers get poor public services despite high taxes. Ser Percival Pena-Reyes said, "Legitimacy collapses when we pay all of these taxes but get lousy services." Officials such as former Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima agreed that tax reform is urgently needed. Experts suggest broadening the tax base and lowering rates, while increasing taxes on the rich. Jonathan Ravelas emphasized, "The real challenge is turning public outrage into long-term pressure for cleaner spending and a simpler, more transparent tax system."