The Bureau of Internal Revenue-Cordillera has surpassed its revenue collection target for taxable year 2021 by 8.5 percent when it collected over P5.9 billion from its goal of P5.5B to keep the region’s economy afloat amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The accumulated excess in revenue collection of P468 million in 2021 means more government services will be funded to ease the burden of Cordillerans who are greatly impacted by the prolonged pandemic.
BIR-Cordillera Director Douglas Rufino reported all six revenue districts in the region have exceeded their respective assigned goals with Baguio district having the highest revenue collection of P2.9B, or higher by P77M from its collection goal of P2.858B.
La Trinidad, Benguet district came in second with P1.063B, or higher by P197M from its goal of P865.461M followed by Tabuk, Kalinga-Apayao district with P726.486M, or higher by P32.236M from its goal of P694.250M.
Bangued, Abra district collected P522.506M from its goal of P480.731M while Lagawe, Ifugao district collected P380.254M from its goal of P329.147M.
Bontoc, Mountain Province, meanwhile, collected P369.493M from its goal of P301.889M.
“Amidst the pandemic which brought the economy of the region to a standstill, the men and women of the BIR-Cordillera did everything humanely possible in accomplishing their objective,” Rufino said, as he earlier claimed that “paying the correct taxes is the highest form of patriotism” especially in this time of pandemic.
Rufino reported substantial part of BIR-Cordillera’s collection came from withholding taxes on government fund payments.
He also cited the sizeable special fund allocation to the infrastructure projects implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways-Cordillera for the provinces of Benguet and Abra due to efforts of Reps. Eric Yap and JB Bernos in bringing in funds for their respective provinces.
BIR-Cordillera also surpassed its revenue target in 2020 when it collected P5.2B from its goal of P4.68B. – Harley F. Palangchao
April 26, 2024
