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Higher number of ITR filers makes BIR happy


The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) over the weekend said it is quite happy with the “significantly higher" number of people who filed their income tax returns (ITR) this year. Two things have prompted people to adhere to this yearly exercise: the “fear factor" and public confidence in the administration, according to the bureau. BIR Commissioner Kim Henares said her bureau which is now regularly filing cases against tax evaders elicited the sense of fear. She said the bureau recorded “no major glitches" during the last day of filing income tax returns on Friday, except for the system problem encountered by the Philippine National Bank, one of its accredited banks. Still, “Compared [to] a year ago, the turnout of income tax filers this year were significantly higher but in peso terms, we still do not know since we will still have to get it from our systems," Henares said. The BIR, which accounts for 70 percent of Philippine tax revenue, has April its highest collection goal of P105.12 billion or 15.26 percent more than its recorded take of P91.5 billion in April 2010. This Government efforts to curb tax evasion by filing cases and “plug other loopholes" in the tax administration system will serve as drivers of revenue growth and eventually that of the economy, Henares said. — VS, GMA News

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