Philippine Star columnist Cito Beltran came out today with a piece on the Bureau of Internal Revenue. It’s recommended reading if you want to know why many people, including myself, loathe BIR personnel. Stories like these should be enough reason for us to vote leaders who have the political will to actually fight corruption. Here are some excerpts.
“Participants in a recent tax forum expressed shock when a top official of the BIR casually said that as far as they are concerned, they are willing to turn a blind eye to whatever means BIR agents use as long as the agency meets their revenue targets or collection quotas. In response to the pressure and the desperation to hit targets, the BIR has foregone restraint and accountability among the good and the bad within its ranks.”
“The corrupt are now asking for an average of P350,000 not to do their job and after a couple of weeks, the reported average rate of accepted bribe is P200,000. There are no distinctions made between feast and famine and if the “agent” gets transferred, the thieves have a referral system.”
I was going to share some of my own thoughts about the shenanigans going on in the BIR but I can’t at the moment as I am overcome with indignation. In the meantime, read the full text of Mr. Beltran’s column here.
I can see a great post coming. Let ‘em have it.
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