"It takes two to tango"
By Mortz C. Ortigoza
CALASIAO – The regional director of the BIR in Region 1
disagreed to the tag that the agency is one of the most corrupt offices in the
country.
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EXEC. BIR Region 1 Regional
Director Marina de Guzman
“It takes two to tango, ‘di ba? Hinde lang po taga
BIR, mga taxpayers diyan na naiimbistigahan siguro nabibigatan sila sa laki ng
assessment bribing examiners nandoon ang temptation,” Director Marina
de Guzman stressed.
She said that 98 percent of the BIR’s tax collection came
from the voluntary taxpayers where BIR personnel do not need to directly
transact with them.
De Guzman cited that it is only two percent of the
taxpayers that the BIR personnel have to physically make contact to prompt them
to pay the correct taxes.
She said that BIR Commissioner Cesar Dulay suspended
until further notice the much criticized Electronic- Letter of Authority (ELA),
letters, and notices to these two percent of taxpayers.
De Guzman cited that the tax agency has to soldier- on
for the 14 billion pesos it was mandated to collect in the four provinces’
region this year despite its being 42 percent higher than the previous year’s
tax goal.
“380 lang ang personnel namin kulang na kulang pero sa
plaintilla ng Executive Order 366 ang aming warm bodies ay 835. We are working
on a 45 percent workforce lang po rito. Nakikiusap po ako sa mga taxpayers,
account tax agents magkapit bisig tayo kung may alam kayo na hinde na cover sa
ating tax data base ipag paalam ninyo lang po sa aming opisina 8:00 to 5:00
pm,” she stressed.
Meanwhile, Maria Isabel B. Utit and Ariel M.
Calabia have remain unscathed on the first revamped of all six revenue
district office (RDO) chiefs in Region-1 after the Duterte Administration
released on August 15 the Revenue Travel Assignment Order No. 168-2016 for 55
RDO chiefs all over the country.
“The concerned officials are directed to report to
their new assignments on or before August 31, 2016. They shall strictly comply
with the provision of Revenue Memorandum Order No. 38-2011 dated September 16,
as amended by Revenue Memorandum Order No. 39-2011 dated October 15, 2011,
regarding turn-over of all accountabilities and compliance to issued RTAOs
covering transfer of personnel. This order takes effect immediately,”
contained at the RTA’s No. 168-2016 and signed by Bureau of Internal Revenue's
Commissioner Dulay.
Utit, a Certified Public Accountant-Lawyer, and Calabia are
the present RDO chiefs of Urdaneta City and Laoag City, respectively.
In the latest RTAO it shows that RDO-2 chief Eduardo
Obero based in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur was assigned to head RDO-52 in Paranaque
City, RDO-3 OIC Chief Luis Alberto, Jr based in San Fernando City, La Union was
assigned as OIC RDO-61 chief in Gumaca, Quezon, RDO- 4 Chief Fely Simon based
here was assigned as RD0-34 chief in Paco, Pandacan, Sta. Ana Areas, and RD0-5
Chief Josephine Catamco based in Alaminos City, Pangasinan was assigned as OIC
–RDO chief of RDO-87 in Catbalogan, Samar.
The new RDO bosses in the Ilocos Region are RDO-2 Chief
Aldo B. Esmena (Ilocos Sur), RDO-3 Chief Ernesto Mangabat (La Union), RDO-4
Chief Merlyn Vicente (Central Pangasinan), and RDO-5 Chief Jose Maria Hernandez
(Western Pangasinan).
