Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 14) — The Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) digitalization goes full throttle, with economic managers setting a 13% increase in its collection target this year.
BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. said the 2023 revenue goal is ₱2.599 trillion. Last year’s actual tax haul was ₱2.3 trillion.
January’s collection already puts BIR on a strong footing and on track to meet the full-year target, he added.
On Tuesday, the revenue agency introduced its mascot “Revie” – a moniker for revenues – and the face for the BIR online system that responds to taxpayers’ queries.
The digitalization aims to cut red tape and encourage taxpayers to transact with the BIR online, instead of visiting the branches for simple transactions, the bureau said.
“With Revie, it may not have a direct relation with our collection but indirectly Revie will be of direct assistance to taxpayers. We know that if we improve our taxpayers service more and more people will comply,” Lumagui said.
“People will find it very convenient to transact with us. That is our aim for digitalization,” he added.
According to the agency, the public will see some changes in the BIR’s tax payment system this year as it has changed the filing of Value-Added Tax (VAT) returns for businesses and employers from monthly to quarterly.
“The rationale behind that is so that it will be more convenient to the taxpayers,” Lumagui said. “It’s pursuant to ease of doing business.”
Amid proposals to impose an additional tax on the country’s billionaires to shore up revenues and beef up state coffers, the BIR chief said the so-called wealth tax is not yet on the table.
“We will still study it because maraming implications when it comes to wealth taxes. It is not as simple as imposing additional taxes siyempre we have to weigh the pros and cons, so we have to study very carefully,” Lumagui explained.
[Translation: We will still study it because there are a lot of implications when it comes to wealth taxes. It is not as simple as imposing additional taxes. Of course, we have to weigh the pros and cons, so we have to study very carefully.]
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