THE BUREAU of Internal Revenue (BIR) expects more than 20 million taxpayers to file their taxes through its electronic platform this year.
BIR Commissioner Caesar R. Dulay in a speech during a handover ceremony for the Facilitating Public Investment (FPI) project yesterday, thanked the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for its technical assistance in establishing the government’s electronic tax filing and payments system.
“You have seen how the FPI project has improved and enhanced our electronic filing and payments system. Now from 1.5 million filers in 2013, it has increased considerably about 19 million in 2017. Filers as of the first four months (of 2018) reached 7.5 million,” Mr. Dulay said.
“So for this year we expect to have about 20-23 million tax filers all because of the enhanced e-filing and e-BIR registration forms with the help of our development partners,” he added.
The FPI is a five-year, $15.3-million project that began in 2013, with the objective of addressing to tax collection inefficiencies, minimizing tax evasion, and eliminating public spending bottlenecks.
“With the hope that your support will continue, that efficient tax administration in BIR will lead to more public and private investments in the Philippines,” said Mr. Dulay.
USAID Tax Administration head Admir Zajmovic meanwhile said in his speech: “Our recommendations would be to please continue to build a central database, please continue to work on implementing risk management and utilize risk-based audit selection, simplify tax filing requirements and make it simple for taxpayers.”
“With all of that to be able to achieve your goals which are attaining collection targets, improve taxpayer satisfaction, and strengthen good governance within the agency,” he added.
The BIR collected P1.61 trillion in the 10 months to October, up 12% from a year earlier.
This is equivalent to 78.96% of the P2.039-trillion 2018 target. — Elijah Joseph C. Tubayan
