BIR sends out a warning to tax cheats

CEBU, Philippines — The Bureau of Internal Revenue in Cebu (BIR-13) has warned against tax cheats as it seeks to further hike its collection this year.

In a phone interview yesterday, BIR-13 regional director Eduardo Pagulayan said that enforcement operations will be among the agency's moves to boost collection efforts.

"We will continue with our enforcement operations such as Oplan Kandado and going after tax evaders," Pagulayan told The FREEMAN.

Under the BIR’s Oplan Kandado program, a business may be suspended or temporarily closed due to noncompliance with essential value-added tax (VAT) requirements, such as the issuance of receipts, filing of returns, declaration of taxable transactions, taxpayer registration and payment of the correct amount of taxes.

The official also noted the agency is looking at real property owners to boost revenue.

"We will also go after those who transferred real properties without paying corresponding taxes," he said.

Pagulayan also warned businesses using fake registration certificates.

As the tax filing season approaches, businesses are told anew to comply with their tax obligations, register your businesses, file appropriate tax returns, pay the correct amount of taxes and report accurate financial information.

BIR-13, which collects taxes in Cebu and Bohol, is tasked to rake in P34.75 billion this year.

In 2018, the agency collected P27.89 billion in taxes, 12.95% short of its P32.04-billion tax goal for the year.

The 2018 collection was, however, up 5% from P26.52 billion collected in 2017.