IGINIIT ni Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez ang kahalagahan na maabot ng Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) ang target nitong makolektang buwis upang magkaroon ng pondo ang gobyerno na gagamitin sa mga proyekto at programa nito.

“Year on year, the BIR’s revenue collections grew by 17 percent this year. That’s welcome news, and I credit the BIR for that,” ani Speaker Romualdez.

“But 17 percent growth from total collections last year will mean the BIR will fall short of P3.05 trillion target set by the economic managers,” dagdag pa ng lider ng Kamara na mayroong mahigit 300 miyembro.

Nakakolekta ang BIR ng P2.516 trilyon noong 2023. Kahit na tumaas ng 17 porsyento ang kabuuang nakolekta ng BIR na nagkakahalaga ng P2.94 trilyon ay bahagya pa rin itong mas mababa sa target na makolekta.

“It’s a high bar to clear. That’s why Congress has given the BIR the tools to collect more effectively from taxpayers,” wika pa ni Speaker Romualdez.

“We enacted the Ease of Paying Taxes, effective this year, to digitalize most of BIR’s transactions and encourage taxpayers to comply voluntarily. The law will also broaden the base of taxpayers, since we made registering as a taxpayer simpler, more convenient, and above all free,” saad pa nito.

Sinabi ni Speaker Romualdez na malaking bahagi ng pag-unlad ng ekonomiya ng bansa ay nakasalalay sa gagawing paggastos ng gobyerno. Kung mabilis umanong makakakolekta ang BIR ay mabilis ding mapopondohan ang mga programa at proyekto ng gobyerno.

“Government final expenditure grew by only 1.7 percent during the first quarter, so I’m hoping that the BIR will be able to collect more in the second quarter so government spending can also catch up. We need to fund both programmed spending and as much of the unprogrammed appropriations as possible to meet our growth targets this year,” wika pa ni Speaker Romualdez.

“Tax is the lifeblood of government, and the vitality of economic growth this year depends on whether the BIR can supply that lifeblood,” dagdag pa ng lider ng Kamara.