Taxation and National Security: How our Contributions Shake the Country's Safety

Abstract

Fueling the government’s operation, taxes are considered bread and butter – a necessity and an essential lifeblood. Without taxes, the government will not exist and will never have a driving force to execute its function of providing public service and securing the nation. This study intends to obtain the taxpayers’ perspective on taxation and national security. This assesses the tax understanding and awareness of the participants, their concept of national security, their view on the role of taxes in safekeeping the nation, and their notion how efficient the government is in addressing threats considering the utilization of the national fund. The results highlight that taxpayers have a good understanding and high tax awareness. They comprehend the benefits of taxation and are mindful about the importance of their contributions. They further associated national security to the welfare and well-being of the people. They see taxes as indispensable in the government operation as they recognize that taxes serve as a fuel in running the country. Relative to government efficiency, they acknowledge its initiatives, but there are matters that need to be prioritized. Taking into account taxpayers’ viewpoints is a great avenue to revisit policies and programs, and align it to matters that need immediate actions and long-term solutions. It is an urgent call to continue the practice of instilling the art of taxation, as it will enable the people to be more aware of how vital taxes are, leading to more compliant taxpayers, sources of funds, and programs and projects.