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Monday, March 24, 2008

Tax amnesty contributed to Aklan's tax collection – BIR

Kalibo, Aklan -- The implementation of the tax amnesty law contributed to the increase in tax collections of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) in Aklan, according to OIC Revenue District Officer Nelia Demalata.

Demalata disclosed that so far, 91 taxpayers have availed of the program, increasing the collections of the BIR in Aklan. She also said that the increase in tax collections here due to the tax amnesty law enabled Aklan to place second to Iloilo in terms of revenues.

Demalata said that the implementation of the tax amnesty law was supposed to have ended March 6 yet, but she, as head of BIR-Aklan, welcomes the moves of some lawmakers to extend the tax amnesty.

"More taxpayers in Aklan could avail of the amnesty if the implementation is extended. If the extension gets approved by Congress, the BIR will have more time to campaign and more taxpayers would be encouraged to avail of the amnesty, " Demalata said.

In her recent statement, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo expressed her support to a proposal to extend the implementation of the tax amnesty law until May 7 this year "as long as it is within the bounds of law."

The proposal to extend the tax amnesty law was announced by Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez as he explained that this is now being studied by the business community.

Suarez said that because of some raised questions as to the actual date of the effectivity of the law or Republic Act 9480, "there is room for extension."

Suarez said the implementation of the law has raised some P4.7 billion, or P1.7 billion over the P3 billion target. It has also increased the tax base with some 16,000 new taxpayers who availed themselves of the amnesty.

With the possible extension until May 7, Suarez said an additional P1 billion in revenues could be expected.

The tax amnesty law was one of the reform agenda pushed by the Arroyo administration to put its fiscal house in order. It gives qualified taxpayers immunity from suit involving tax deficiencies up to 2005 upon payment of the tax amnesty fee.(PIA/Venus G. Villanueva)