Council junks reconsideration sought by concert promoter
The Committee on Ways and Means of the Sangguniang Panglungsod (SP) has denied the motion for reconsideration filed by the organizers of the recent Leah Salonga Concert in Iloilo City asking for exemption in the payment of amusement tax.
As such, Philippine Media Corporation, the concert's organizer, is bound to pay the corresponding taxes to the city government.
In yesterday's regular session of the SP, the committee on ways and means chaired by Councilor Antonio Pesina denied the motion for reconsideration filed by Jane Javellana.
Pesina's committee earlier classified the Leah Salonga concert as a pop concert, therefore taxable.
The committee's ruling on the motion for reconsideration was then adopted by the entire legislative body.
City Councilor Eldrid Antiquiera, however, passed a proposed ordinance calling for the reduction of the amusement tax being imposed by the city on certain taxable events.
Earlier, the City Treasurer's Office sent a collection letter to the organizers of the Leah Salonga concert asking for some P1,135,000 in amusement tax.
Javellana, in her motion for reconsideration with their position paper, prayed that the Philippine Media Corporation be exempted from the paying of amusement tax contending that the Leah Salonga concert did not fall under the classification of a "pop concert."
Javellana was the event organizer while the Phillipine Media Corporation is the producer of the concert.
"Ms. Salonga delivered classical, Broadway-inspired concert rightfully falling under the genre of a classical concert not a pop concert as suggested by the committee on ways and means," Javellana's contention reads.
Javellana, in her motion also discussed what pop songs are. She cited "The Rise and Fall of Popular Music" by Clark Donald which defines pop songs as generally marked by heavy rhythmic element, a mainstream style and traditional structure. The most common variant is strophic in form and focuses on memorable melodies, catchy hooks and the appeal of the verse-chorus-verse arrangement.
Moreover, the producer also argued that exemptions were granted to the different concerts in the city such as Side A, Bamboo, Shamrock, Sitti, Gary Valenciano, and Christian Bautista among others. In the same motion, they categorically questioned the exemption given to Side A band.
"Side A performed a benefit concert last December 14, 2007 in Iloilo City performing ballad music with original bands. The concert was exempted from amusement tax, the same having been categorized by the Sangguniang Panlungsod as neither pop nor rock.
The Side A was given the exemption despite a front act in clear rap-genre given by Kwatro Kantos. The songs performed by the band marked a heavy rhythmic element, a mainstream style distinctive of so-called "pop genre." The major labeling and production companies in the country classify Side A as "pop/ballad" band of the pop/ballad genre.
However, the lengthy arguments presented by the event organizer through her pool of lawyers failed to convince the members of the committee on ways and means and the entire city council to grant their motion for reconsideration.