Ian Alfredo Magno IT’S a classic. Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. What makes it practically fabulous is probably the way people tend to open their pockets and spend just a little bit more than usual.  Company bonuses, the 13th, 14th month remunerations, spiked profits and other gratuities – they are the usual suspects.  And when many people are too ready to swing that paper in their wallet at the mall cashiers, you get what?  Traffic jams.  Undeniably, public expenditure creates a ripple not only in market sales, but tangibly in the community as well. Fortunately, this ripple is not always about traffic jams or self-centered spending. The spirit of the yuletide season has always been about giving and sharing. Thus, it was through charitable undertakings that organizations such as Carmen Valley Lodge No. 250 (CVL 250) and XUHS 95, Inc. created a ripple of innocent smiles this Christmas season. Two days ago, Dec. 21, 2016, the members of Carmen Valley Lodge No. 250 spearheaded by Worshipful Master Adlai T. Elizaga, took on the less traveled road towards Bulao Elementary School to initiate a modest Christmas party for roughly 150 less-fortunate children.  It is a remote public school located at the outskirts of Barangay Iponan, Cagayan de Oro City.  In the works were the distribution of Jollibee meals, drinks and the conduct of a variety of kiddie parlor games with exciting prizes.  The games were facilitated by the host Jollibee crew.  Extending her gratitude, School Principal Naomi Tocmohan candidly said that CVL 250’s initiative was very timely, for Bulao Elementary School could not have funded such an activity because DepEd recently prohibited schools from accepting any contributions from parents. Principal Tocmohan could not hide her pleasure upon seeing the beaming smiles of her pupils.  To her, it was simply priceless. On a separate occasion on Dec. 19, 2016, XUHS 95 Inc., represented by Mark Adeva and Janjan Geroy, facilitated the gift-giving and feeding activity for the children with special needs at the West City Central School, Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City.  The kids partook of the sumptuous packed spaghetti and fried chicken meals with drinks personally prepared by the “mommies of 95.”  It would not have been made possible without the contribution of generous donors and friends especially 99 Ranch CDO, which provided crucial logistics. Generally, select charitable donations enjoy certain privileges under Section 34 of RA no. 8424 otherwise known as the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, thus: Section 34. Deductions from Gross Income. – x x x ... there shall be allowed the following deductions from the gross income: (H)  Charitable and Other Contributions. – ... Contributions or gifts actually paid or made within the taxable year to, or for the use of the Government of the Philippines or any of its agencies or any political subdivision thereof exclusively for public purposes, or to accredited domestic corporations or associations organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, youth and sports development, cultural or educational purposes or for the rehabilitation of veterans, or to social welfare institutions, or to nongovernment organizations, in accordance with rules and regulations promulgated by the Secretary of Finance, upon recommendation of the Commissioner, no part of the net income of which inures to the benefit of any private stockholder or individual in an amount not in excess of ten percent (10%) in the case of an individual, and five percent (5%) in the case of a corporation, of the taxpayer’s taxable income derived from trade, business or profession...” However, Section 8 of Revenue Regulation No. 13-98 requires substantiation therefor, which reads in part, to wit: Section 8.        Substantiation Requirements (a)  For Donors - Donors claiming donations and contributions to accredited non-stock, non-profit corporation/NGO as deductions from their taxable business income should submit evidences or proofs to the BIR by showing the Certificates of Donation and indicating therein the following:
  1. Actual receipt by the accredited non-stock, non-profit corporation/NGO of the donation or contribution and the date of receipt thereof; and
  2. The amount of the charitable donation or contribution, if in cash; if property, whether real or personal, the acquisition cost of the said property.
In sum, the charitable undertakings of CVL 250 and XUHS 95, Inc. are but a material manifestation of a sublime sort of charity – Time, above all else.  More valuable than the presents, the meals, the games and prizes, is the time shared with and for the chosen beneficiaries.  A Brother once remarked, “Time, when spent, could never be brought back.”  When we exert effort to make time, we give a part of ourselves, which could never be retrieved nor replaced forever. Somehow it seems that genuine Christmas, after all, is the time to give time.