By Jun Ramirez
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has topped the P2-trillion mark in its 2019 tax collection drive to the delight of top finance officials.
Bureau of Internal Revenue (MANILA BULLETIN)
Revenue Deputy Commissioner for Operations Arnel Guballa said the tentative take was roughly P200 billion higher than the actual collection of P1.8 trillion last year.
"We have already garnered between 96 and 97 percent of our collection assignment of P2.3 trillion for the year," Guballa said.
BIR Commissioner Cesar Dulay and Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III have separately congratulated the men and women of the service for a "job well done."
The successful collection campaign was attributed to efficient tax enforcement activities like stepped-up investigation, closure of businesses and filing of criminal charges against suspected tax cheats.
Guballa said billions of pesos were raised through "Oplan Kandado" notably against the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) that have been remiss in paying final withholding and franchise taxes.
He warned more erring POGOs will be padlocked shortly if they continue to evade paying taxes.
The bulk of the collection estimated at P1.3 trillion was raised by the bureau's Large Taxpayers Service (LTS) which audits the country's 3,000 top corporations headed by Assistant Commissioner Manuel Mapoy.