LTO allows BIR to tap records for tax probes

**mikaztro** · July 28th, 2005 02:45 PM

LTO allows BIR to tap records for tax probes
Thursday, July 28, 2005 6:13:58 PM

THE Land Transportation Office yesterday said it will allow the Bureau of Internal Revenue to use its "powerful database" to ferret out tax evaders.

LTO chief Anneli Lontoc agreed with Finance Secretary Margarito Teves that in order to collect more taxes, the government should enlist the help of the LTO.

"It's for them to use our database which is very powerful. There's a lot of information in it and it is for them to maximize the use," Lontoc said.

The LTO's revenue collection last year through motor vehicle registration reached P8.9 billion, which is P.7 billion in excess of the P8.2 billion target.

Lontoc said the LTO has enough information on vehicle owners and by using its database, those who are not paying the right income taxes could be easily uncovered.

"That's one thing that we have discussed with BIR officer in charge Jose Bunag. And we really wanted to help the government raise revenues," she added.

The LTO is the 3rd biggest revenue-collecting agency with a total collection of P5.24 billion in fees in the first semester of 2005.

This is higher by 6.72 percent than last year's collection of P4.9 billion. Motor vehicles registration, violation fines and license fees accounted for the biggest share of the collection.

Lontoc said the increase in collection is due to intensified enforcement against erring drivers and unregistered vehicles especially in the National Capital Region, Region 3 and Region 6.

She added that this year's collection target is P9.3 billion.

Jester P. Manalastas

**4wrider** · July 28th, 2005 05:21 PM

Just another sign of the growing reach of the taxmen. Truly, no man can escape death and taxes. Or is it an indication of the gnawing desperation of the government to cover its humongous spending.

**jaeger** · July 28th, 2005 05:34 PM

I just hope the taxmen will not use LTO's database to harass dutiful taxpayers. I've also learned that the taxmen got the customer list of Jaguar Cars to check whether those who can afford to buy P#million cars were also paying their taxes correctly.

**mrpink** · July 28th, 2005 05:53 PM

well .. if people are declaring the proper income and paying the proper taxes .. then they should have nothing to worry about ..

**IceColdBeer** · July 28th, 2005 06:01 PM

They should not spare the powerful and the rich.

**luckytruck** · July 28th, 2005 06:10 PM

not only jaguar pare, all dealerships report their sales to the BIR with accompanying TIN number of buyer.

this is why i actually am in favor of the national ID sytem (or something similar to it). In this day and age of high technology, there should be one database that is capable of multiple functions... LTO, BIR, Immigration, Philhealth, SSS, HMDF, etc.

yung mga guilty lang naman ang matatakot ng transparency

andy

**theveed** · July 28th, 2005 06:16 PM

tama tama.

menos problema din kung wala ka ka-asset asset hehe

**beatles** · July 29th, 2005 01:48 AM

Maganda yng idea pero sana unahin ng BIR yng mga tauhan nila o yng kanilang ahensya muna. I believe na mas maraming nakakalusot na tax evaders dahil sa lagay na natatanggap ng kanilang mga tauhan pagdating na ng tax collection. Yng mga vehicles naman sa Bureau of customs palang ilan na ang nakakalampas. Sa tingin ko hndi naman sila tanga para hndi ito malaman. Sa customs makikita nyo naman na laging present ang mga tauhan... hmm... bkt kya?