The dining room is quiet now, the sound of clinking silverware and lively chatters has faded into the night.
But in the kitchen, the work isn’t finished, surrounded by stainless steel tables and a cooling stove, a restaurant owner sits with a notebook, adding up the day’s totals. They aren’t looking at big profit margins—they are looking at utility bills, supplier invoices, labor costs, and a drawer full of discounted receipts, wondering how to make ends meet without closing their doors.
This is the hidden reality of running a food spot in the Philippines today. To the community outside, you are a beloved gathering place.
To the ledger in front of you, you are walking a tightrope.
The Applause vs. The Account Balance
Every time a new social benefit is announced, the nation celebrates—and rightfully so. Our lolos, lolas, and persons with disabilities deserve support, and workers deserve fair pay.
Restaurateur David P. Sison captured the bittersweet truth of these moments in a recent post that echoed across the culinary and business communities:
Every time the government announces a new benefit, people celebrate. And they should… Beautiful announcements. Press conferences. Applause.
But do you know who
pays for it?
Not the government.
We do.”
The Hidden Math Behind Every Meal
Most diners assume that when a restaurant grants a 20% Senior Citizen or PWD discount, the government covers that loss.
Back in 1992 under Republic Act 7432, that was actually true: the state gave businesses a full 100% tax credit. If the government made a promise to citizens, the government covered the cost.
That changed in 2004 under Republic Act 9257, when the benefit was downgraded to a simple tax deduction.
Here is what that actually means:
When a restaurant gives a ₱100 discount, the government only offsets about ₱20 through tax deductions.
The business owner has to pay the remaining ₱80 out of their own pocket.
As Sison noted,
Most people, even business owners, do not know this.”
For over twenty years, local eateries, neighborhood bakeries, and carinderias have been quietly funding 80% of a public safety net.
Generosity is easy when someone else pays the bill.”
Carrying the Strain Alone
Running a kitchen is already a labor filled with love along with early mornings, rising ingredient costs, and thin margins. When mandatory wage hikes or added discounts land on top of those bills, owners face a painful choice: raise menu prices and risk losing loyal customers, or swallow the cost until there’s nothing left.
When menu prices go up, customer frustration often falls squarely on the restaurant.
What people rarely see is the quiet pressure behind those price tags.
In discussions about business and labor, questioning a new cost can easily be mistaken for a lack of heart. So, most owners stay quiet. They cut their own pay, work longer hours, and carry the anxiety alone.
Sison’s post gave voice to thousands of entrepreneurs holding their breath at the end of every month:
To every business owner quietly carrying this weight while being told your prices are
too high: you are not alone. We know. We feel it too. And we should not stay quiet
anymore.”
Reclaiming the Balance
This isn’t an argument against caring for our elders, supporting PWDs, or paying fair wages. The heart of the food community has always been about feeding people and taking care of one another.
As Sison explains,
Here is what hurts. We are not even asking to stop the benefits. Give them. Our lolos and
lolas deserve them. Our workers deserve them. But why is it that every promise the
government makes, business pays for?”
If we want our favorite local food spots to stay open, the government needs to stand behind its own promises. Restoring full tax credits for mandatory discounts isn’t a gift to business owners—it’s giving local food culture the breathing room it needs to survive.
Supporting our seniors, PWDs, and food workers should never come at the cost of closing local kitchen doors.
To everyone standing over a stove, balancing a ledger, and keeping their doors open for the love of the craft: your hard work matters, your sacrifices are seen, and you are not carrying this alone.
Let us not let this conversation die!
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