Field officials of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) are asking Malacanang and the Department of Finance to issue an administrative tax amnesty program to meet the P2.4 trillion collection goal for the year.
Revenue regional directors, district officers and other officials of the large taxpayers service (LTS) are making the suggestion as the tax take continues to slow down.
BIR Commissioner Lilia Catris Guillermo has not yet released the bureau's collection performance since she assumed the post in June.
Insiders disclosed, however, that the total shortfall was very considerable with the large taxpayers service (LTS) which handles the audit of big companies registering highest deficits.
It was also learned that only five of the 22 regional offices reported modest surpluses.
Unlike the Congress-approved tax amnesty, the administrative amnesty does not grant taxpayers absolute immunity from investigation, but only last priority in audit and in almost all cases in the past their returns were no longer reviewed.
A Metro Manila regional director said if the proposed administrative amnesty applies the standard eight percent tax on gross earnings the bureau could generate P40 billion for every P500 billion income declaration, or P80 billion for P1 trillion.