THE Bureau of Internal Revenue [BIR] continued its relentless campaign against imported liquor and cigarettes which entered the country without paying the correct taxes.
On Thursday, BIR conducted its second Nationwide Joint Enforcement Operations on Illicit Cigarettes, Vape, Wines, Distilled Spirits and other excisable articles from regional offices.
The raids were conducted in various convenience stores and groceries in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija; Bulacan; Camarines Norte; Camarines Sur; Bacolod; Davao City; and the Eastern Visayas Region.
The BIR also conducted raids in various parts of Metro Manila such as Caloocan City; Malate, Manila; Quezon City; Pasay; Makati City; and Parañaque City.
Earlier, the BIR reported that it increased its collection by 9.94 percent in the first five months of 2023, allowing it to attain its collection target for the period.
From January to May 2023, the BIR’s Total Gross Collection stood at P1.056 trillion, which is P95.454 billion more than the tax collections for the same period last year.
“With the intensification of the Bureau’s tax enforcement activities, specifically on the campaign against sellers and buyers of fake receipts, we are confident that the BIR can attain, if not surpass, its annual collection target this year,” Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui Jr. said in a statement.
The BIR also reported that it exceeded its tax collection target by P1.331 billion in the January to May 2023 period.
For CY 2023, the BIR’s collection target was set at P2.599 trillion. This target is higher than the CY 2022 actual collection by 10.95 percent or P256.444 billion.
Image credits: Nonie Reyes