CITY OF SAN FERNANDO--Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Revenue Region 4’s (RR4) Jethro Sabariaga said that if the shift to the federal government would push through, Region III could well enough support and sustain a regional federal government as it sits on a P2-trillion regional gross domestic product.
Sabariaga made this statement during the weekend's Tax Campaign kick off in this capital city, adding that this is even feasible even if Bulacan is currently not part of RR4.
Sabariaga made this statement to stress the importance of having full collection performance in the region and tapping well into industries and sectors to pay the right taxes. In fact, despite the full gross domestic product potential of RR4, the BIR here is only able to collect in 2016 some P 26.08-billion at a tax effort of 1.33 percent.
"Region III is among the fortunate regions who can easily finance and sustain the shift to federal government in terms of the economic requirements," Sabariaga said.
It could be recalled that President Rodrigo Duterte said that he is willing to step down from office even before his six-year term expires if Congress and the Filipinos approve the federal system of government.
Duterte, in his first state of the nation address, said Congress can copy the system of France. The creation of a federal government is one of Duterte's campaign promises as he sees this to be the instrument in addressing rebellion in the country, particularly in Mindanao.
Earlier, former Senate president Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. made proposals on the groupings for possible federal states which included Central Luzon or Region III.
Under his proposal, the Philippines will have 11 federal states – four in Luzon, four in the Visayas, and three in Mindanao.