BIR CV sets target for 2025 at P55B

CEBU, Philippines — The Bureau of Internal Revenue in Central Visayas (BIR-13) has set a tax collection target amounting to P55.14 billion for the region in 2025, aiming to sustain its strong performance over the past two years.

BIR-13 Officer-in-charge regional director Antonio Ilagan said they are positive about exceeding the collection once again following the good stance from 2023 and 2024 tax collection.

According to Ilagan, in 2023, the collection goal was P41.94 billion, but they were able to collect P42.63 billion, exceeding the target by 1.65 percent.

Meanwhile, in 2024, they raised the goal to P48.8 billion, and the outcome for the actual collection reached P49.1 billion.

He noted that the region has demonstrated consistent upward growth in tax revenue, despite occasional fluctuations in economic conditions and other external factors.

“Hopefully makuha natin yung ating goal na P55 billion,” said Ilagan.

However, the BIR-13 director also acknowledged that the first two months of 2025 saw a slight dip in collections, with a shortfall of just negative three percent.

“Maraming factors, pero bawi kami niyan this April,” he said, pointing to the April 15 deadline for filing annual income tax returns (AITR).

“Hopefully this month of April we can recover from the shortage of less than 3 percent,” Ilagan added.

An AITR is a document that taxpayers submit to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to report their income, deductions, and tax liabilities for a specific taxable year.

Ilagan noted that timely compliance is very vital to avoid penalties, surcharges, and legal consequences associated with late or non-filing.

To facilitate the filing process, the BIR-13 offers several electronic platforms, including the Electronic Filing and Payment System (eFPS) and the Electronic Bureau of Internal Revenue Forms (eBIRForms), accessible through the BIR website.

Taxpayers can also make payments through authorized agent banks and revenue collection officers at respective Revenue District Offices (RDO).

Along with their 2025 goal, the revenue agency is also ramping up monitoring and compliance activities across the region that is in line with their four pillars: excellent taxpayer service, digital transformation, institutional integrity and professionalism, and bold enforcement activities.

“We need to improve our systems to meet the needs, expectations, and wants of our taxpayers,” said Ilagan.

BIR-13 is also strengthening its enforcement efforts, particularly against illicit trade activities involving cigarettes and vape products.

In addition, initiatives such as Oplan Landado, Run After Tax Evaders, and Value Added Tax (VAT)

compliance checks are among their measures to ensure accountability to the revenuers.

He added that income taxes, VAT, and withholding taxes (WHT) remain the biggest contributors to overall revenue in the region’s tax collection.

Moreover, the director also added that the transfer of property titles, especially in rapidly developing areas like the island of Cebu, is also a significant source of tax revenue.

Ilagan noted that the continuing boom in property development projects has contributed positively to the region’s collections. — (FREEMAN)