Filipinos urged to change mindset about taxes

Seasoned taxation and corporate lawyer Ma. Louella Aranas has made it a personal advocacy to help “change one taxpayer at a time.” The 54-year-old law practitioner believes it is a duty for every Filipino to pay the right taxes as their contribution to nation-building for the current and future generations. 

However, she agrees to the observation that many Filipinos fear taxation. “In my over two decades of law practice focusing on taxation, I have realized that a lot of our fellowmen don’t have positive perception about paying taxes mainly because they don’t really understand it,” Atty. Peaches says. 

“We could not blame some people for thinking that paying taxes is a burden. But I believe that if we help make them realize why doing so is important, we can somehow convert their mindset positively. That is why most of my professional endeavors aim to address challenges and offer comprehensive solutions to advise or represent businesses, even individuals, about paying the right tax dues,” she adds. 

Moreover, Atty. Peaches believes that today is the best time to make the youth aware of the basics of taxation. “Teach them young so that when they grow into adults, they will see paying taxes as mundane, just like paying bills and other necessities.”

Introducing taxation to students

Atty. Peaches is currently a faculty member of the Lyceum of the Philippines University College of Law, where she mentors students about the country’s tax laws. She is teaching the subject in a way that students can regard taxation as an integral part of people’s lives so they (the students) could also disseminate the right attitude towards the patriotic duty — in their daily lives and in the future when they also become practicing lawyers.  

As co-founder and CEO of Alternative Center for Continuing Education and Seminar Solutions, Inc (ACCESS), a pioneer in online and on-demand programs covering Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) for Filipino lawyers, Atty. Peaches backs a new approach to spreading education about taxation. 

ACCESS MCLE offers programs about taxation with the aim of updating practicing Filipino lawyers about the new legislations pertaining to collecting and paying taxes. She is a lecturer and program developer of those important courses.

Tax law expertise of LMA Law

Atty. Peaches established LMA Law in 2015 a law firm focusing on taxation and corporate law. She is serving as Managing Partner to the boutique law company that specializes in ‘bespoke’ services handled by a team of lawyers who are equally passionate in offering advice and solutions to issues about taxes and corporate practices. 

“At LMA Law, we usually take challenging and more complicated cases related to taxation and audit. We even handle estate planning and inheritance tax issues and even lead to settlement of disputes among heirs of our clients. By all means, we still end up doing what we do best and that is to guide and advise people about shouldering proper taxes,” she says.

Atty. Peaches completed her Bachelor of Laws and Juris Doctor degree at the Ateneo de Manila University. She accumulated over 25 years of experience in corporate and private tax practice, including years of leadership roles in SGV & Co and KPMG Laya Mananghaya & Co.