BIR to collect 1.96% to hit collection target

ONL about 1.96 percent remains to be collected by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) before they could reach the total amount of targeted tax collection for the current fiscal year.

Regional Director Alert Alocilja revealed this during "Harampang ha PIA" media forum.

According to Alocilja, BIR is one of the biggest sources of revenue of the government which accounts for 60 to 70 percent of its total revenue, followed by the Bureau of Customs (BOC), which is responsible in collecting the remaining 10 percent.

It was learned by Express that BIR in Western Visayas was given a tax collection goal of P3.9 billion.

From January to December 21, this year, BIR has already collected over P3.8 billion.

"So for the remaining few days before the year ends, we only just have about 1.96 percent to be collected or a total amount of P77 million," he said.

The BIR director is very optimistic that they could attain, if not exceed, their tax target for 2010.

Alocilja said tax on income remains to be their biggest source.

However, Alocilja cited some of the problems that they encounter on their tax collection effort.

"We usually face difficulties on our tax collection drive," Alocilja said.

The under declaration of gross of business, the difficulties on the aspect of tracing and monitoring the total gross sale of a certain establishments, and the non-compliance by some establishments on issuing receipts were among the reasons cited by Alocilja why they are facing some problems in the course of their tax collection.

He also said lack of personnel is another factor why they could not conduct a massive tax collection.

Because of the insufficient number of personnel who will monitor establishments in the region, BIR is asking the help of everyone in the private sector.

"There are some cases that one of our collection officers is being assigned to several areas for the monitoring aspect. He has to do some multi-tasking for him to cover the whole area that he is handling," Alocilja said. Leyte Samar Daily Express