Tax honcho aims to reach P2.6 B goal

By Mortz C. Ortigoza CALASIAO- The head of the biggest revenue district office (RDO) in Northern Luzon is unperturbed by 60% of the P900 million additional tax hike imposed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue on her office. Revenue District Office-4 Chief Christine Cardona said the first goal given to her by the Bureau of Internal Revenue was P2, 112,336,000. It is 18.89 % higher than her last year goal’s of P1, 776,721,000. But because of the new hike of P500 million from the central office, Cardona has to soldier- on this year a staggering P2.612,336 billion for the coffer. Cardona said that BIR ordered the six RDOs in the four provinces of Region-1 to collect a modified hike to buttress the national coffer in addition to the tax goal given to them in the first quarter of fiscal year 2012. Despite the new spike, Cardona was optimistic that she can hit the new target at the end of this year just like what she did last year. “I am always optimistic,” she said when asked if she turned pessimistic because of the herculean task given to her. In the first tax goal given to the six RDOs, each of them had the following target to collect: RDO-1 in Laoag City, P960,873,000.; RDO-2 Bantay, Ilocos Sur, P1,086,113,000; RDO-3 in San Fernando City, La Union, P1,447,845,000; RDO-4 in Calasiao, Pangasinan, P2,112,336,000; RDO-5 in Alaminos City in Pangasinan, P698,733,000; and RDO-6 in Urdaneta City in Pangasinan, P997,926,000. According to a source who asked for anonymity, the total of the goal for BIR Region-1 is P7, 303,826,000. But with the modified hike of P900 million from the P6, 526,186,000 goal last year, the new goal would become P7, 426.186,000. BIR Region 1 is under the watch of Director Arnel Gubala who used to head the National Investigation Division. Meanwhile, Assistant Revenue District Office-4 chief Charmaine dela Torre said BIR-Region 1 has a new assistant director in Eduardo Pagulayan. Sources at the BIR Region 1 including Director Gubala said he is a certified public accountant and a lawyer who was previously assigned in Isabela Province. RDO-4 and RDO-1 in Laoag City was the two of the six RDOs in Region-1 that breached the goal given to them by the national government to BIR-Region-1.