Friday, April 8, 2022

BIR-Butuan fast-tracks taxpayers' awareness program thru raffle draw

BUTUAN CITY -- A monthly raffle draw was launched by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) - Revenue District Office (RDO) No. 103 in this city to fast-track the bureau's taxpayers' awareness campaign.

The "Resibo Mo, Panalo Ko!" raffle draw aims to encourage taxpayers and consumers to ask for receipts/sales invoice in any transaction with establishments and even from individuals they are conducting business with.

"Issuance of receipts or sales invoice guarantees us that these establishments/businesses are paying their taxes properly," said Revenue District Officer Dante Tan.

"By cultivating the practice of asking for such document, we are also instilling the importance of paying taxes especially among business owners. As a result, we can collect a greater amount of taxes, which we can use to generate revenue for government expenditures," he added.

The promo is open to all taxpayers/consumers who have made a purchase in any establishment in the province of Agusan del Norte, except for employees of the bureau. Every valid official receipt/sales invoice issued starting in the month of April 2022 with no minimum amount of purchase can be a raffle entry. Only official receipts/sales invoice that are issued during the month covering the period of the raffle draw will be accepted.

Participating taxpayers must present their official receipt/sales invoice to the Public Assistance Complaints Desk (PACD) Officer in the RDO 103 or any revenue collection offices (RCOs) for validation and stamping. Their name, contact number, address, entry number, and month of the raffle draw they are participating in must be written in their receipt after validation. Filled-in receipt/sales invoice entry will be dropped at the drop box located at the PACD at the RDO 103, or in RCOs across Agusan del Norte.

Participating taxpayers can submit a maximum of 10 entries per month.

BIR Revenue Region 17 regional director Jose Eric Furia said that the raffle draw also provides taxpayers an insight on the taxation system in the country and in turn avoid tax evasion.

Furia

"Tax collection starts with the issuance of a receipt. If a receipt is not issued, definitely, little or no tax is being collected from that establishment," he said. 

Value-added tax (VAT), or the tax levied on the price of a product or service in each process of production, distribution, or sale, is an indirect tax that is being paid by the consumer.

"In every good or service paid by a consumer, they are entrusting their money to the establishment they have made a transaction with. When a receipt is not issued, the money may not be remitted to the BIR, therefore, their taxes may be pocketed," Furia said. 

"I encourage everybody, taxpayers or not, to ask for a receipt or sales invoice in every purchase of goods and services," he added. 

The raffle draw and announcement of winners will be held at the end of the month. One winner will receive PhP2,000 worth of grocery packages while 10 others will receive a limited edition freebie. (DMNR/PIA-Caraga)