Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Jacinto-Henares. FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – Pay before you complain.
Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Kim Henares said Thursday that people are demanding much from the government, but are not paying their taxes.
“Ito ang problema: maraming gustong ipagawa ang mamamayan sa gobyerno. So padagdag at padagdag ‘yan, ‘di naman ‘yan nababawasan. So yun ang sinasabi namin. Kunyari, kung walang hihingiin na gagawin ang gobyerno, puwede tayong magbawas [ng tax revenue collection targets]. Ang problema, hindi naman ganyan. Very demanding lahat ng tao. Demanding, pero ayaw naman nila magbayad ng buwis. Saan tayo pupunta niyan?” said Henares in an interview over Radyo Inquirer 990 AM.
(This is the problem: the people want many projects to be implemented by the government. The demands are increasing and will not let up. That is what we are saying. For instance, if projects being demanded from the government are lessened, we can lower [our tax collection targets]. The people are very demanding. They are demanding but they do not pay their taxes. Where will we go from there?)
The statement was a response to the issue of raised tax collection targets set by the government for the bureau.
Henares conceded that they could not do anything but to comply with the government-imposed tax collection targets.
Secret for reaching tax collection efficiency
Henares also revealed her “secrets” in reaching tax collection targets during her term as the BIR commissioner.
She attributed the success of BIR’s efficient revenue collections to the straightforward implementation of the bureau’s mandate, strict implementation of the law, meritocracy, and having a clear vision of contributing to the economic success of the country and the people.
“Lahat kami, maliwanag sa amin na ‘yun ang objective at ‘yun ang dapat naming gawin, ” Henares added.
(It is clear for all of us that this is our objective and that is what we have to do.)
In 2015, the BIR’s collection was at P1.72 trillion.
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