The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is optimistic that it will achieve its revenue collection target this year.

During the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing on Thursday, BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. said that through the agency’s programs, employees’ hard work, and with the help of the taxpayers, the revenue collection target this year will be attained.

“So, lahat-lahat pong ito ay tingin naman po natin ay makakamit natin ang collection target ngayong taon ito (So, all of these, we think that we will achieve the collection target this year),” Lumagui said.

“In fact, first few months, itong January, February hanggang March ay maganda ang naging collection po natin (In fact, the first few months, January, February until March, our collection is good),” he added.

Last year, the BIR collected PHP2.85 trillion, exceeding its goal for the first time in 20 years.

For this year, the BIR is tasked to collect PHP3.23 trillion.

Lumagui said the BIR is ramping up efforts to increase tax collection and address tax evasion.

He said that through the Run After Fake Transactions (RAFT), the BIR has filed tax evasion cases against those using fake receipts.

“Marami na pong nakasuhan at lahat po, so far ng mga kasong isinampa namin na sa Department of Justice ay kinatigan din po tayo ng DOJ at nagsampa na po ng kasong criminal sa korte (Many have been charged and all, so far, of the cases we have filed with the Department of Justice, the DOJ has supported us and has filed criminal cases in court),” he said.

“At marami pa po tayong aabangan na mga kaso at patuloy pa rin ang pagsampa namin ng kaso at pag-o-audit at paghahabol dito sa mga gumagawa at gumagamit ng mga pekeng resibo (We have many more cases to come, and we will continue to file cases and audit and prosecute those who make and use fake receipts),” he added. (PNA)