The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) said it will continue improving its digital capabilities to make the payment and collection of taxes easier.
BIR Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui, Jr. made the assurance to allay concerns of some revenuers and even outsiders that he might not continue the digitalization that was aggressively pushed by his, the tech-savvy Lilia Catris Guillermo.
Revenue regional directors and district officers quoted Lumagui as saying during recent closed door meeting that "the government has no choice but to automate its operations as more and more business transactions are done online."
The revenue field officials wanted the new BIR leadership to fully-computerized administration and operation activities to be at par with other Asian states, saying that digitalization is crucial to the country's economic development.
"The US and other developed countries have come out with seamless tax collection system because of their sophisticated computers," said one regional director who requested anonymity.
He cited Singapore wherein taxmen and taxpayers discuss and settle issues through email, virtually eliminating under-the-table deals.