BIR to boost digital efforts to hit P3T target
THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR)-Revenue Region 13, Cebu City has vowed to intensify its tax collection efforts this year to help meet the P4.3 trillion national revenue target.
Of the total revenue target, the BIR is tasked to collect P3.05 trillion while the Bureau of Customs is expected to collect close to P1 trillion.
On Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024, BIR RR 13 launched the 2024 tax campaign with the theme: “Sa Tamang Buwis, Pag-asenso’y Mabilis,” at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.
According to the BIR, this year’s tax campaign theme aims to seek the support of the taxpayers in generating funds for the country’s economic recovery and development through timely payment of the correct taxes. It is an affirmation that tax is indeed the lifeblood of the country, and that the BIR and the taxpaying public are partners in nation-building and in uplifting the lives of Filipinos.
BIR Commissioner Romeo “Jun” Lumagui Jr. led the ceremonial kick-off along with BIR 13 Director Douglas Rufino, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and Provincial Board Member Glenn Soco.
In his keynote message, Lumagui emphasized the four pillars of his administration—intensification of enforcement activities, excellent taxpayer service, integrity and professionalism and digitalization.
BIR’s 2023 tax collection reached P2.5 trillion, eight percent higher than the P2.33 trillion it collected in 2022. But it fell short of the P2.64 trillion target set by the government for 2023.
For this year, Lumagui has previously said the BIR will intensify its digitalization efforts with the BIR Assist App, a mobile application that serves as a tax calendar, repository of announcements, and application for appointments. The agency will also push for electronic invoicing and receipt and sales reporting systems, the online withholding system or Project 230X, the taxpayer ledger and the electronic filing and payment and submission systems, the online registration and update system, and the internal revenue integrated system that will ease the payment of taxes via online.
The agency will also intensify its nationwide enforcement activities against cigarettes, vapes and other excisable articles; conduct of cash register machines and point-of-sales post evaluation; online sellers; and taxpayers with low compliance.
Top taxpayers
In addition to launching the tax campaign last Feb. 29, Lumagui also recognized the accomplishments of BIR RR 13-Cebu City, as it secured the second position in tax collection in 2023 among all BIR regional offices nationwide.
In the same event, the BIR RR13 also awarded top taxpayers in Cebu in 2023.
Sun Savings Bank, led by Francisco Dizon, the bank’s president and chief operating officer, was named as the top taxpayer for the non-individual category of Revenue District Office 82, Cebu City South.
It also recognized individual top taxpayers.
Some of them were Sabin Aboitiz, president and chief executive officer of Aboitiz Equity Ventures, of BIR-Cebu City North; and Anthony Gerard Leuterio, founder of Filipino Homes, of BIR-Cebu City South.
The BIR has 19 Revenue Regions, according to its website.
Under RR 13, Cebu City are five revenue district offices (RDO). These are RDO 80-Mandaue City, Cebu; RDO 81-Cebu City North, RDO 82-Cebu City South, RDO 83-Talisay City, Cebu, and RDO 84-Tagbilaran City, Bohol. / EHP with KOC