Records showed that more than half of the BIR’s take in January and February was collected by the Large Taxpayers Service (LTS) which handles the investigation of the country’s top 1,000 corporations based mostly in Metro Manila.

"We have exceeded our collection targets for the two-month period and the collection growth rate for the month of February was 25 percent higher compared to the same period last year," said LTS chief Merlinda Ordoyo when she kicked off the service’s 2006 tax campaign in Makati City the other night.

It was also learned that three other BIR regional offices in Metro Manila - Quezon City, Makati City, and Manila - reported collection surplus during the two-month period.

Quezon City Revenue Regional Director Nestor S. Valeroso said his nine district officers (RDOs) raised a total of P9.4 billion, 30 percent or P2.2 billion higher than the target.

The highest percentage increase was registered by Mandaluyong RDO Isidro Casals Jr., followed by North Quezon City RDO Rey Asterio Tambis.

Tambis said that apparently, bickerings among the country’s political leaders did not have any negative effect at all on the BIR’s collection performance.

Makati Revenue Regional Director Nelson Aspe said his office exceeded its collection target by raising a total of P10 billion vis-à-vis the goal of P9.3 billion, an increase of around P700 million.

Aspe said that the take was also P2.4-billion higher compared to the P7.5 billion collected in the same period last year.

To further boost the region’s performance, it will launch its 2006 tax campaign on March 13 at the Market! Market! mall in Taguig City.

Manila Revenue Regional Director Fred Misajon reported that he exceeded his collection target for two months by more than P551 million, raising a total of P4 billion against the goal of P3.6 billion.

Misajon said his office will launch its 2006 tax drive on March 15 at the Chinese Federation building in Binondo, Manila. (Jun Ramirez)