BIR exceeds Q1 target

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) exceeded its excise tax collection target for the first quarter this year by P1-billion Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Dakila Fonacier, said yesterday.

Fonacier said BIR's newly-created excise tax services (ETS) was able to collect P20.211 billion for the first three months of 2000, surpassing its P19.54-billion target for the period.

The ETS is estimated to contribute around 25 percent of the total collection of the BIR for the year 2000

"The ETS has indeed effectively implemented measures to reinforce the bureau's tax administration, collection and enforcement capabilities as shown by its efficient performance for the past three months," he said.

Fonacier said welcomes suggestions from excise taxpayers on how to improve further the services of ETS. The ETS, he said, serves as a venue for the BIR to solicit cooperation from excise taxpayers so that a solid and harmonious relationship may result and be nurtured.

"In pursuit of this objective, plans are underway for the ETS' feedback system," he said.

At present, there are 100 identified excise taxpayers being serviced by the BIR and the ETS located in the BIR National Office.

From 100, the BIR expects to increase the number of excise taxpayers to be included in the ETS year by year until all excise tax payers are captured in the BIR National Office database.