BIR 13 tax collection up 14% to P13.8B in 1st sem

CEBU, Philippines - The Bureau of Internal Revenue-13 collected P13.8 billion in taxes in the first half of 2017, nearing half of the regional agency's P29.3-billion target for 2017.

The collection from January to June was up 13.51 percent or P1.6 billion from the P12.1 billion collected in the same period last year but was short 6.41 percent or P942 million of the P 14.7-billion target for the first six months of  2017.

In an interview with reporters yesterday, newly installed BIR-13 regional director Aynie Mandajoyan-Dizon said that collection activity in the first half had been doing very well despite the transfer of some of its big taxpayers to the Large Taxpayers Division in Cebu. 

She said at least 22 big taxpayers of BIR-13 had been transferred to LTD-Cebu, losing opportunities of boosting its collection.

Dizon expressed optimism the agency will be able to hit its target for the second half and make up for the deficit made in the first half.

"We are confident we can collect bigger in the second half," she said, noting that collection in the second half of the year is usually bigger compared to first half. 

She said she expects some big one-time transactions within the year which should help the agency achieve its tax target.

The BIR official said the agency has implemented a seven-point program to help boost its collection this year. 

Of the programs is massive tax compliance verification drive (door-to-door spot checking) which aims to identify establishments that are not yet registered with the BIR.

Others include the intensified tax data matching; benchmarking for industries; point-of-sale (POS) post evaluation; inventory stock taking; enforcement activities; and surveillance activities.

She said all BIR regional agencies are implementing their respective programs to boost collection. 

She noted she wants to impose a "friendlier" approach in encouraging taxpayers to pay the right taxes.

Dizon assumed as the new regional head of BIR-13 last July 3, replacing Alfredo Misajon who is now assistant commissioner for collection service at BIR.

The P29.3-billion target this year had been reduced from the P36-billion target last year which had been tagged as unrealistic.

Last year, BIR-13 collected P26.6 billion, falling short of its P36-billion target or posting a P9.7-billion revenue shortfall versus the target.

However, the 2016 collection is up 2.7 percent or P700 million from the P25.9 billion it collected in 2015 when it had a P25.4-billion goal.

BIR-13 collects taxes in Cebu and Bohol through five revenue district offices.

The BIR had outlined priority programs aimed at serving the bureau’s three key objectives: attain collection targets, improve taxpayer satisfaction as well as to protect revenues and “recapture” public trust.

In order to attain collection targets, the bureau will undertake “comprehensive taxpayer profiling and industry benchmarking,” expanding the list of covered industries; revive suspension and temporary closure of businesses for non-compliance with value added tax requirements under the “Oplan Kandado Program;” update zonal values, which are the basis for computing taxes on the sale or transfer of real properties; and broaden the tax base “by registering unregistered taxpayers/businesses as a result of tax compliance verification drives and third-party information.” (FREEMAN)