Wednesday, 22 May 2013
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Government CFO, Tax and Revenue Management
Philippines unveils new tax audit lab
The new Computer Assisted Audit Tools and Techniques System Laboratory of the Philippines’ Bureau of Internal Revenue has kicked off to further the drive to gain quality tax audit in the country.
The first CAATTS Laboratory was installed at the BIR central office in Manila. More computer audit workstations will be launched at the BIR’s regional offices in the Visayas and Mindanao locales in the upcoming months.
In her speech at the inaugural ceremony of the CAATTS Laboratory in late December, BIR Commissioner Kim Jacinto-Henares said that with the new laboratory, “the BIR would be able to audit more files, and thereby strengthen its audit findings.”
With the project, the BIR targets the improvement of the accuracy and efficiency of its tax audit system, as well as the performance of its revenue officers.
The CAATTS Laboratory’s database will expand as the project progresses. The information collected will be used by the BIR as “a second layer of third party information that BIR examiners can use to further revalidate business transaction representations of other taxpayers.”
BIR revenue officers from its Revenue District Offices will also be trained in conducting computer audit using the CAATTS Laboratory.
The first objective of the CAATTS Laboratory is to finish the audit of tax liabilities of conglomerates for 2009.
Under the initiative, a simultaneous audit of conglomerates or interrelated companies will be held, instead of individualized tax audits to better detect tax avoidance and tax evasion schemes.
Commissioner Jacinto-Henares told FutureGov Asia Pacific that the new CAATTS Laboratory is just a portion of the BIR’s program to improve the tax system in the country.
In the future, the department plans to put its tax data online to make the information easily accessible to taxpayers, regardless of location.
The Commissioner emphasized the usefulness of ICT in tax administration.
“It is easier to check data in the computer system, instead of doing it manually,” she said.
In addition, with the use of ICTs, more types of revenue-relevant data are available for study. The data collected could also be used more effectively with the analytical capability of computers.
With these initiatives being done by the BIR, the Commissioner hoped that taxpayers in the Philippines will realize that her administration’s thrust is “not just business as usual,” but that they are serious in changing the tax system in the country for the better.
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1 Comments
On 7 November 2011 Sniper wrote:
Adequate and consistent tax education among taxpayers is also vital to changing the country's tax system.
Still, many revenue officers are abusing the ineptitude of many taxpayers especially those who are not well-versed in the complicated field of taxation. For instance, most, if not all, examiners would lure taxpayers to settle by parting with huge sums of money in order to expedite the examination process otherwise a criminal case shall be filed upon finding of underdeclaration (as tool for intimidation). Here comes the taxpayer masyadong mabait nadala agad at pinagbigyan nalang si examiner. As it turned out, with the money parted with, 60% to 70% was pocketed by the examiners and 30% to 40% was remitted to the national treasury. No wonder that with this system, look at their homes, their cars, their real estate investments and personal properties. Nasusuka ako everytime I hear BIR plans of conducting lifestyle check.
Another practice of abusing taxpayers. Examiners will instruct to meet taxpayers at expensive restaurants and this thick-faced group supervisor charges everything to the taxpayer.
In Davao City's RDO 132, there is this group supervisor who onced examined our family business. Guess where she brought our manager? At the Apo View Hotel. And she brought my uncle in another examination at the Marco Polo's Cafe Marco - both having sumptuous buffet treat. This supervisor, by the way, is nose-lifted, wears a lot of jewelries and look-alike ni Madam Auring! Her first name starts with letter “M” and surname likewise starts with letter “M”. Pagkatapos nyang kumain sa mga hotels, humingi pa ng malaking pera sa amin pang settle kunwari ng problem namin. Eto yung practice niya sa Davao CIty.
I hope Commissioner Kim Jacinto Henares is sincere enough in her aspirations. I think with all due respect to all her victims, this group supervisor should at least be transferred to Sharif Aguak, Jolo, or Basilan near Abu Sayyaf stronghold so she may have the opportunity of getting beheaded. I doubt the Commissioner can fire her. Cause if only I am to suggest, I will submit this BIR group supervisor for firing squad.
Ala ho akbar! Ala ho akbar! Ala ho akbar!