06 December 2005
EVAT accepted by public, says BIR commissioner
By DANNY O. SAGUN
THE public has so far accepted the expanded value-added tax (EVAT) as a necessary measure for government to generate more revenues and stay away from the old practice of borrowing funds from international creditors, the commissioner of Bureau of Internal Revenue observed Tuesday.
Lawyer Jose Mario C. Bunag also noted that taxation is no longer viewed by the people as a burden. Instead, it is one way for them to contribute to the government for the latter to deliver basic goods and services, he pointed out.
After the initial protests by militant sectors against the tax measure, the public, he said, appeared to have accepted it. “Wala namang gulo o pag-aalsa na nangyayari, di ba?” he told mediamen later.
Bunag graced the Expanded VAT roadshow at the Leisure Coast Resort in Bonuan Binloc last Tuesday where he addressed some 2,000 participants that included lawyers, certified public accountants, mediamen, students and many others from various sectors who gathered to learn more about the tax measure.
In his brief message, the former bar topnotcher expressed hope that by the end of the year taxpayers would have filed and paid their respective taxes. “Sa dami ng taong naririto ngayon, inaasahan din natin na ganito rin karami ang magbabayad ng kanilang buwis,” he said.
Facing the local media after his speech, Bunag said the bureau expects to meet its targeted collections including some P82 billion from EVAT thru efficient collection efforts.
EVAT seeks to bring in more funds for government to deliver basic services in education, health insurance, environmental conservation and agricultural modernization by earmarking 20 percent of the incremental VAT collection.
In more concrete terms, 521 single-story buildings with five classrooms will be built in 2006, health insurance premiums will benefit 3.1 million indigents, 9,190 hectares will be reforested, and 1,012 kilometers of farm-to-market roads will be laid out.
The VAT law has been in effect since 1988 but the EVAT law (RA 9337) expanded the coverage to petroleum products, power and electric cooperatives, services of doctors and lawyers, non-food agricultural products, works of art, literary and musical compositions, and domestic carriage of passengers by air and sea.
The VAT rate of 10 percent is set to increase to 12 percent in 2006.
Representatives of the departments of finance, agriculture, trade and industry, energy, and BIR took turns explaining the law to the audience.
Meanwhile, the regional BIR office headed by officer-in-charge Romeo P. Buan reported to the BIR chief that it has exceeded by 102 million its collection target as of October 25. Revenue District Office no. 4 based in Calasiao under Joseph M. Catapia also surpassed its target by P11 million for the same period.
THE public has so far accepted the expanded value-added tax (EVAT) as a necessary measure for government to generate more revenues and stay away from the old practice of borrowing funds from international creditors, the commissioner of Bureau of Internal Revenue observed Tuesday.
Lawyer Jose Mario C. Bunag also noted that taxation is no longer viewed by the people as a burden. Instead, it is one way for them to contribute to the government for the latter to deliver basic goods and services, he pointed out.
After the initial protests by militant sectors against the tax measure, the public, he said, appeared to have accepted it. “Wala namang gulo o pag-aalsa na nangyayari, di ba?” he told mediamen later.
Bunag graced the Expanded VAT roadshow at the Leisure Coast Resort in Bonuan Binloc last Tuesday where he addressed some 2,000 participants that included lawyers, certified public accountants, mediamen, students and many others from various sectors who gathered to learn more about the tax measure.
In his brief message, the former bar topnotcher expressed hope that by the end of the year taxpayers would have filed and paid their respective taxes. “Sa dami ng taong naririto ngayon, inaasahan din natin na ganito rin karami ang magbabayad ng kanilang buwis,” he said.
Facing the local media after his speech, Bunag said the bureau expects to meet its targeted collections including some P82 billion from EVAT thru efficient collection efforts.
EVAT seeks to bring in more funds for government to deliver basic services in education, health insurance, environmental conservation and agricultural modernization by earmarking 20 percent of the incremental VAT collection.
In more concrete terms, 521 single-story buildings with five classrooms will be built in 2006, health insurance premiums will benefit 3.1 million indigents, 9,190 hectares will be reforested, and 1,012 kilometers of farm-to-market roads will be laid out.
The VAT law has been in effect since 1988 but the EVAT law (RA 9337) expanded the coverage to petroleum products, power and electric cooperatives, services of doctors and lawyers, non-food agricultural products, works of art, literary and musical compositions, and domestic carriage of passengers by air and sea.
The VAT rate of 10 percent is set to increase to 12 percent in 2006.
Representatives of the departments of finance, agriculture, trade and industry, energy, and BIR took turns explaining the law to the audience.
Meanwhile, the regional BIR office headed by officer-in-charge Romeo P. Buan reported to the BIR chief that it has exceeded by 102 million its collection target as of October 25. Revenue District Office no. 4 based in Calasiao under Joseph M. Catapia also surpassed its target by P11 million for the same period.
