Senate President Ralph Recto yesterday warned government programs will falter and the people will suffer if taxes were stolen or the Bureau of Customs failed to collect revenues which fund public services.
For 2017, he said the BoC is tasked to collect P468 billion. He said it should be P1.28 billion on a daily basis.
“This is the money these “fiscal stevedores” in Aduana and in airports and seaports must haul into the government coffers every 24 hours,” said Recto.
BoC’s revenue goal represents a fifth of the total tax revenue target for 2017 or 20 centavos for every tax peso.
Because of this, Recto said it can be 20 percent of the total length of roads built, 20 percent of classrooms constructed, 20 percent of medicine bought, 20 percent of textbooks distributed this year will be financed by BOC collections.
In real terms, the BoC should bankroll 9,498 classrooms out of the 47,492 that will be built and from its collections would come the money to buy 11.2 million textbooks out of the 55.8 million pieces to be procured.
It can also be computed that for every 100 peso put into the pay envelope of a government worker, 20 pesos had been remitted by the BoC.
In terms of PhilHealth insurance for indigents, seniors, Recto said it can be inferred that BOC’s share in funding would enroll 8.76 million individuals.
In the war against terrorists, 1 in 5 bullets fired, 1 in 5 air sorties flown will be funded by BOC collections.
“Thus, BOC performance, or nonperformance, is critical to both government operations and dreams since taxes are what translate election rhetoric into reality,” said the Senate leader.
If government were a vehicle, he said BOC’s job is to fill one-fifth of the fuel tank. If it fails to deliver, if it misses its quota, the vehicle will not reach its destination, or is forced to unload passengers, or will sputter along the way.
Thus the problems being encountered by the BOC, the many scandals it is grappling with must be resolved without delay as a matter of national urgency.
He said the government will not be able to deliver on its promises to the people if its second biggest supplier of funds is broken, malfunctioning and damaged.
With the resignation of most members of the current management, he said a new team must be appointed immediately. He also cited the need for a revamp within the bureau.
He said there must be competent and ethical people, knowledgeable of the intricacies and culture of Customs operation because the country cannot afford OJTs on ‘training wheels’ being appointed to such a crucial job.
He said the Secretary of Finance, as the immediate boss of the Customs top brass, must have a major say in these designations.
The President, Recto added, must also start holding revenue command conferences where every port collector, every section head in major ports, will report on their accomplishments and pledge their targets.
