BIR collection increased

CALASIAO-The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) district 4(RDO4) of Region 1 (RR1) has reached closed to nearly a billion with Php. 987,115.558. 67 actual collection on the first eight months of this year as against Php. 844,734,593.57 of last year’s January - August actual collection.

Heightened awareness among taxpayers and more aggressive tax collection efforts under the Oplan Kandado campaign among business districts and the partnership with our government collecting arms are seen as major contributing factors for the positive first eight months outcome said, Revenue District officer Joseph Catapia.

Catapia after attending a full scale tax information dissemination campaign with more than 600 attendants involving Barangay officials including municipal /city treasurers,  public accountants and bookkeepers comprising of the towns  of central Pangasinan in the 3^rd and 4^th district of the province held in Regency hotel last Thursday said that the bureau under his district has been receiving positive outcome among tax payers who were properly informed regarding their due taxes in the community and on how this public collecting arms can work hand in hand with the BIR.

Moreover, Bureau of Internal Revenue national office’s chief of withholding tax division Mrs. Marivic Galban, the resource speaker of the seminar in an exclusive interview told Pangasinantoday that the critical issue that the government is trying to resolved is the failure of the local government especially in the barangays to withhold the five percent final Value Added Tax.

“Five percent base on net Vat is quite big an amount in terms of tax collection is concern for the BIR, considering that the local government unit is one of the vital proponents for collections and that they can help in boosting the collection of the bureau”

“tickling them on specific issues will definitely give them the idea that it is critical for them not to be negligent in their duties because if they fail to do such an activity that will be detrimental on their end charging them with penalties and surcharges and interest and compromise penalties and will be a personal accountability of the local chief officer and the municipal or city up-to the barangay finance department, and with particular mandate this will now trigger that this officials will now have an eye in making sure that they have been withholding and at the same time remitting the right taxes to the government.”

Galban commended the efforts of Catapia in leading an initiative in informing the barangay treasurers of this obligations and the move to consolidate efforts of the Bureau and the government along with the public accountants and bookkeepers for the private suppliers of the government in withholding and remitting the tax due for the government.

Meanwhile, Catapia added though that there are still quite a number of business entities not just in his district but in the whole region who refuse to comply with the 48 hour tax compliance  notice and the five days VAT tax compliance that might be subject to Oplan Kandado this year or next year depending on the compliance he said.

He said that with the moderate 16.86 percent increased in the actual collection from January-August of this year against last year’s same period actual collection the calendar year 2009 goal of Php.1, 379, 192.00 goal is achievable.

“With the very supportive media partners and our vigorous tax campaign I am very much confident that we will be able to exceed our goal for the district”

It will be recalled that this Revenue District Office was able to implement the first Oplan Kandado campaign in the region.

Regional Director Tomas Rosales in a separate interview said that eighty business establishments in Ilocos region have been listed under the Oplan Kandado campaign of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

Of this number, six restaurants were padlocked last July under revenue district 4 until they were able to pay their obligations. Meanwhile, eight branches of JanMark Drugstore owned by JM Northern Health Corporation   in Pangasinan were closed this September during the second wave of the operation one of which is still under Catapia’s jurisdiction.