Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Sunday recommended to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. the enforcement of a one-strike policy against collectors of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Bureau of Customs (BOC) should they fail to meet their target revenues.
The move would help ensure additional funds for targeted subsidies, hospitalization, education, job creation and other social protection programs for the most vulnerable sectors of society, he said.
“The one strike-strike policy is a key step toward achieving our revenue goals. We need additional funds for assistance, creation of job opportunities through infrastructure projects and other programs to help the people,” Romualdez said.
The inability of collectors to meet their revenue goals has compromised the government’s budget for agriculture, health, education, infrastructure and other priorities, he said.
To address the situation, he proposed that collectors who fail to meet their revenue targets must be removed from their position, and be replaced by competent individuals to ensure efficiency in the administration of tax collection.
“Let us help the government meet its revenue targets. I hope our callwill send a clear message for our collectors to perform at the highest level,” he said.
“Taxes are the lifeblood of government in the implementation of pro-poor programs designed to alleviate poverty and reduce inequality.
It is of vital importance in the government’s effort to provide access to better education, health care and social protection programs,” he added.
As far as Congress is concerned, Romualdez said the prudent exercise of its oversight power “would further promote transparency and accountability under the Marcos administration.”
“We will monitor and evaluate the performance of government agencies.
The House of Representatives is committed to working with the government to ensure stable finances for the sustained and efficient implementation of various important projects,” he said.
Specifically, he said Congress would scrutinize how government agencies are using the resources entrusted to them for the implementation of programs in line with their responsibilities.
“It is important to improve the absorptive capacity of all government agencies in the implementation of vital programs,” he said.