Cotabato City— Five agencies of the Bangsamoro Government were cited in a yearend report of the Bureau of Internal Revenue as top tax-remitting public offices in the records of the BIR’s District No. 107 in this city.
The BIR District Office made the recognition on March 2 honoring the five agencies of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in ceremonies marking the start of the year’s BIR Tax Campaign here.
BARMM’s contribution to the national government’s intensified tax campaign has been generated through taxes withheld from goods and services derived from paid contracts in the region’s procurement program, and from salaries drawn by the region’s workforce
According to the BARMM Human Resource Development Plan, the region has some 4,000 officials and employees, apart from tens of thousands of teaching and non-teaching professionals serving its education sector.
The local BIR District Office cited the Office of the Chief Minister (OCM); the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA); as well as the BARMM’s Ministry of Health (MOH); Ministry of Public Works (MPW), and the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE), as the region’s top tax withheld remitting agencies.
Speaking on behalf of Bangsamoro Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim, BARMM Finance and Budget Minister Ubaida Pacasem, said the region’s level of tax compliance best illustrates its continuing efforts at improving the tax collection process, particularly in the age of digital transformation.
“We believe that the cooperation between the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Bangsamoro Government will pave the way for a more efficient and effective taxation, as we continue to work harder (in crafting) a contextualized Bangsamoro Revenue Code that is reflective of the unique setup of the Bangsamoro,” he said.
Pacasem, a lawyer-certified public accountant, said that the BARMM finance sector looks forward to completing a tax policy framework that is more efficient, transparent, and equitable for all.
“We recognize that taxes are a necessary obligation, but we also understand the importance of ensuring that the process is fair and reasonable, especially for the Bangsamoro,” Pacasem said.
Thursday’s recognition ceremonies were also graced by officials from the Bangsamoro Government and Cotabato City Government.
