If there is a taxpayer, the demand for tax professionals will likely to increase. We need
them to be sure that taxes has been properly paid or refunded according to law. According
to Senator Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson, with greater tax revenue shares come greater
accountability. As Senator Lacson batted for greater autonomy alongside greater
accountability for local government units (LGUs) as they start getting an increased
share of government tax revenues starting in 2022. This is the key to true
decentralization in the country while minimizing the chances of corruption in the use
of the bigger revenues.
Being competitive is one of the characteristic of a professional. The Legazpi City, a
city government that is set to receive an award from the Bureau of Local Government
Finance (BLGF) for being No.1 on the list of top-performing cities in the country in terms
of local revenue generation/collection. The city exceeded by 161.2 percent the targeted
tax collection in 2019, or before the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
Closely tailing on second spot is Valenzuela City with collection exceeding by 154.4
percent; followed by Sta. Rosa City, Laguna, 145.9 percent; Cebu City, 145.1 percent;
Parañaque City, 137.6 percent; San Fernando City, La Union, 137.4 percent; Navotas
City, 133.3 percent; Vigan City, Ilocos Sur, 132.2 percent; and Mandaue City, Cebu, and
Lucena City, 131.7 percent.
In an interview of a Mayor, they attributed high revenue collection to the city’s innovations
in tax collection schemes, particularly its e-payment using automated teller machine
(ATM) credit and debit cards through the facilities of the Land Bank of the Philippines and
Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP). The city treasurer also said the adoption of
the Enhanced Tax Revenue Assessment and Collection System (ETRACS) and the
implementation of the Geographic Information System (GIS) helped a lot in the
improvement of local tax collection in the city. ETRACS is an automated assessment of
taxes and other business fees while the GIS produces thematic layers for planning and
identification of delinquent taxpayers and business operations. De Guzman said the
BLGF under the Department of Finance (DOF) placed a tax collection target of
PHP439.83 million for Legazpi in 2019, but Legazpi collected PHP708.96 million. The
continuously increasing number of giant investors and other business establishments
operating in the city of Albay province for the past several years has also contributed to
the hefty tax haul.
Being competitive is a just a bonus but being a responsible and accountable citizen and
professional is what makes the place successful.
In San Fernando City, La Union, the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s district office here set
the tone for its 2013 tax campaign by recognizing the biggest taxpayers from the
corporate sector, individual, national government agencies, local government units
including government owned and controlled corporations. Three businessmen, a local
government executive and a neurosurgeon were among the biggest taxpayers for 2012
in this province. Topping the corporate sector were a supermart, an electric cooperative
and a medical center. The top individual taxpayers were businessmen Alfonso Chan
Pinco Jr., Jose Medriano Sr., and Robert Dy, followed by La Union Vice Governor Aureo
Q. Nisce and neurosurgeon Dr. Sixto Ordoño. The top corporate taxpayers include
Costsaver’s Supermarket, Inc., La Union Electric Company Inc., Lorma Medical Center
Inc., NB Marketing Corporation and Philippine Topwood Industries and Trading Corp. and
among others.
According to Arnel Guballa, BIR regional director, the top tax contributors were chosen
based on their increased, enhanced or high tax payments, timely payments and
remittances of tax dues and attaining no outstanding tax liabilities. Awardees for the
national government sectors were the Departments of Public Works and Highways-La
Union (first and second engineering district offices), Agriculture and the Department of
Health-Center for Health Development in the Ilocos. The local government sector
included the provincial government of La Union, city government of San Fernando and
municipality of Agoo including the National Food Authority as GOCC awardee.
This honor was neither for a show nor for fame but it was for encouraging everyone to be
responsible and accountable in their own taxes.
Calipay, E. S. A. C. (2021, June 24). Legazpi No. 1 in local tax generation among cities.
Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1144801
Lacson: With greater tax revenue shares come greater accountability. (2021, November
2).
Manila
Bulletin.
https://mb.com.ph/2021/11/02/lacson-with-greater-tax-
revenue-shares-come-greater-accountability/
Philippine Information Agency Region 1. (2013, March 13). BIR honors biggest taxpayers
in La Union. PIA Region 1. https://piaregion1.wordpress.com/2013/03/14/birhonors-biggest-taxpayers-in-la-union/amp/