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THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) expects to
suffer from a collection shortfall this year even though the
government plans to balance its budget.
In a letter obtained from the
agency, Commissioner Lilian B. Hefti sees only P782 billion in
collections this year, or P63 million lower than the Department of
Finance target of P845 billion. In the first three months alone, the
bureau expects to generate P154 million, an 8.16 percent increase
year on year.
“The projected P782.022 billion
is still for further analysis as to how much is feasible to be
collected and in what months they are likely to be realized,”
Hefti said in the letter addressed to Finance Undersecretary Roberto
B. Tan, who also serves as acting national treasurer.
The projected BIR collection this
year is 9.83 percent higher than what was collected in 2007. Last
year, the BIR was short of the government’s programmed target even
though it was an improvement over the 2006 figures.
The bureau said collections
suffered a 7-percent shortfall to P712.098 billion against the goal
of P765 billion for the period. It, however, surpassed the 2006
collection of P652.732 billion by 9 percent.
Of the total last year, the
bureau registered higher collections in the July to December of
P377.387 billion as against the P334.711 billion generated in the
first six months.
--Chino S. Leyco
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