BIR awards top Aklan taxpayers
Kalibo, Aklan -- For topping the list of the highest taxpayers in the province, nine taxpayers in Aklan were cited recently by the Bureau of Internal Revenue. The awarding of the top taxpayers of Aklan was one of the highlights of the bureau's 103rd anniversary, observance of which was held recently at the regional office of the BIR in Iloilo City.
According to BIR-Aklan Revenue District Officer Lilivic Gatdula, Aklan's top taxpayers were divided into three categories -- corporation, individual and government.
In the corporation category, awarded top taxpayers were the Hennan Hotel Management Inc. which emerged no. 1; Seraph Management Group, 2nd, and Le Soleil de Boracay Resort, 3rd.
Top taxpayers in the individual category include Wilfredo M. Gelito, 1st; Orlando Sacay, 2nd, and Christopher Jude S. Lee, 3rd.
For government category, the Department of Education is the number 1 taxpayer in Aklan followed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH, 2nd) and 3rd, Provincial Government of Aklan.
In the corporation and individual categories, all taxpayers operate in Boracay Island. According to the BIR here, Hennan Hotel Management operates Boracay Regency, while Gelito operates Willy's Place; Sacay, Waling-Waling Resort; and Lee operates the Hey Jude establishment.
In recent interviews, Gatdula revealed that Boracay tax collections contribute much to BIR-Aklan's revenue collections. During the celebration of BIR's 103rd anniversary, BIR-Aklan RDO was cited for being the lone revenue district office in Western Visayas to exceed its collection goal for the 1st semester of this year.
Gatdula revealed that BIR-Aklan was able to collect a total of P226,234,189.46 from January to June of this year, while in 2006 for the same period, the collection was P205,116,741.45 - or an excess of P61,117,448.01.
According to the BIR here, other provinces in Western Visayas had also their sets of top taxpayers, who were also awarded during the bureau's anniversary celebration.
Here in Aklan, BIR is also pushing for public support of its Premyo Sa Resibo promo. Under the Premyo Sa Resibo promo, everybody gets a chance to win one million pesos by just texting to the BIR his official receipts.
Gatdula said the PREMYO Sa Resibo aims to encourage people to demand receipts when purchasing items, in order for establishments to be able to report their correct income.
Gatdula said anybody can join the Premyo Sa Resibo promo.
Meanwhile, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has created task forces on revenue enhancement and anti-smuggling as she committed that the government would bounce back from its collection in the first half of the year.
The government has repeatedly assured that it will be sticking to its P63-billion budget deficit target for the year. The BIR's target is to raise P370 billion while the BoC was given a P228 billion target this year to enable the government to achieve its P1.1 trillion revenue target.
(PIA)