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SIGASIG ng mga kawani at pakikiisa ng mga negosyante at pangkaraniwang mamamayan ang nakikitang dahilan ni Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. sa likod na matagumpay na pagkakamit ng target ng ahensya sa unang bahagi ng taon.
Partikular na tinukoy ni Lumagui ang P1.5-trilyong buwis na nalikom BIR sa unang anim na buwan ng taon sa kabila ng hindi inaasahang pagbagal ng economic growth ng bansa.
“We’re proud to say that we have achieved that 1.5 trillion [target] for the first half of the year. So, the BIR is really doing well for the first semester,” pahayag ni Lumagui.
Sa datos ng BIR, lumalabas na mas mataas ng 0.5 percent ang P1.5-trilyong koleksyon ng kawanihan – bagay na aniya’y bunga ng aktibong pagsusulong ng tax compliance program at mas malawak na tax base.
“This accomplishment says that the BIR is right on track, that we’re going the right path and what we’re doing is good. We just have to continue and improve on a lot of certain things,” diin pa ni Lumagui.
Tinukoy niya ang pagtaas na naitala nila mula sa ilang partikular na sektor.
“For the sectors, we have in terms of growth rate, the percentage, we’re looking at the arts, entertainment, and recreation. [They’re] doing well in terms of percentage increase compared with the performance last year. We’re also looking at administrative and support services. It also is performing well for this year in terms of percentage increase in collections,” ani Lumagui.
Binanggit niya ang household employment activities na nagkaroon ng tax collections double year-on-year, habang mayroong ding malaking pagtaas sa manufacturing at information and communication industry.
“A key highlight for the agency is the surge in contributions from small taxpayers—those earning gross revenues between P3 million and P20 million annually. We’ve seen increase in by more than 80% tax collection from this taxpayer segment,” palalahad pa ni Lumagui kung saan tiwala siyang patuloy pang lalawak ang tax compliance mula sa iba’t-ibang income brackets.
Ang first-half performance ng BIR ay kasunod ng pagrebisa ng Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) sa 2025 fiscal program bunsod na rin ng moderated economic outlook.
Partikular dito ang pagbaba ng DBCC sa national revenue target na P4.520 trillion mula sa unang itinakda na P4.644 trillion, na ang collection goal naman ng BIR ay bahagyang ibinaba sa P3.219 trillion mula sa P3.232 trillion. Ang GDP growth naman ay tinatayang nasa 5.5% hanggang 6.5%, na mababa sa initial projection na 6.5% hanggang 7.5% range.
Hindi naman iniaalis ni Lumagui ang posibilidad na muling magkaroon ng recalibration ang DBCC.
“I think there might be a recalibration of the goal again considering that the assumption is not going to happen. But there’s no final figure yet.”
