Utit, Calabia “Last Men Standing” in BIR-Region-1 Revamped

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

CALASIAO - Maria Isabel B. Utit and Ariel M. Calabia have remain unscathed on the first revamped of all six revenue district office (RDO) chiefs in Region-1 after the Duterte Administration released on August 15 the Revenue Travel Assignment Order No. 168-2016 for 55 RDO chiefs all over the country.

Revenue District Office -6 Chief

 Maria Isabel B. Utit 

“The concerned officials are directed to report to their new assignments on or before August 31, 2016. They shall strictly comply with the provision of Revenue Memorandum Order No. 38-2011 dated September 16, as amended by Revenue Memorandum Order No. 39-2011 dated October 15, 2011, regarding turn-over of all accountabilities and compliance to issued RTAOs covering transfer of personnel. This order takes effect immediately,” contained at the RTA’s No. 168-2016 and signed by Bureau of Internal Revenue's Commissioner Ceasar R. Dulay.

 Utit, a Certified Public Accountant-Lawyer, and Calabia are the present RDO chiefs of Urdaneta City and Laoag City, respectively.

In the latest RTAO it shows that RDO-2 chief Eduardo Obero based in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur was assigned to head RDO-52 in Paranaque City, RDO-3 OIC Chief Luis Alberto, Jr based in San Fernando City, La Union was assigned as OIC RDO-61 chief in Gumaca, Quezon, RDO- 4 Chief Fely Simon based here was assigned as RD0-34 chief in Paco, Pandacan, Sta. Ana Areas, and RD0-5 Chief Josephine Catamco based in Alaminos City, Pangasinan was assigned as OIC –RDO chief of RDO-87 in Catbalogan, Samar.

The new RDO bosses in the Ilocos Region are RDO-2 Chief Aldo B. Esmena (Ilocos Sur), RDO-3 Chief Ernesto Mangabat (La Union), RDO-4 Chief Merlyn Vicente (Central Pangasinan), and RDO-5 Chief Jose Maria Hernandez (Western Pangasinan).

Meanwhile, the regional director of the BIR in Region 1 disagreed to the tag that the agency is one of the most corrupt offices in the country.

“It takes two to tango, ‘di ba? Hinde lang po taga BIR, mga taxpayers diyan na naiimbistigahan siguro nabibigatan sila sa laki ng assessment bribing examiners nandoon ang temptation,” Director Marina de Guzman stressed.

She said that 98 percent of the BIR’s tax collection came from the voluntary taxpayers where BIR personnel do not need to directly transact with them.

De Guzman cited that it is only two percent of the taxpayers that the BIR personnel have to physically make contact to prompt them to pay the correct taxes.

BIR Region 1 Regional Director 

Marina de Guzman

She  said that BIR Commissioner Dulay suspended until further notice the much criticized Electronic- Letter of Authority (ELA), letters, and notices to these two percent of taxpayers.

De Guzman cited that the tax agency has to soldier- on for the 14 billion pesos it was mandated to collect in the four provinces’ region this year despite its being 42 percent higher than the previous year’s tax goal.

“380 lang ang personnel namin kulang na kulang pero sa plaintilla ng Executive Order 366 ang aming warm bodies ay 835. We are working on a 45 percent workforce lang po rito. Nakikiusap po ako sa mga taxpayers, account tax agents magkapit bisig tayo kung may alam kayo na hinde na cover sa ating tax data base ipag paalam ninyo lang po sa aming opisina 8:00 to 5:00 pm,” she stressed.