Fed up by rampant corruption in the government, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte floated the idea of adopting gross taxation system in the country over net tax collection.
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) should use gross taxation to eliminate corruption, President Duterte said in a media interview Tuesday in Malacañang.
“Pag gross, wala na. ‘Yang mga examiner, wala nang trabaho ‘yan. Dito ka sa neto eh kasi may mga ano, bayaran, exemption ganun,” he said.
“Kung sinsero talaga kayo and you are on my side to stop corruption, if media would really help government and the Filipino people, all you have to do — tayong lahat, we agitate Congress, gross na tayo.”
Among those that are using gross taxation system include Hong Kong, Singapore, and Japan, according to the President.
Gross income tax is a tax assessed against the money somebody earns. This form of tax is applicable to income from a job, as well as to funds that are set aside in an estate or trust.
Net taxes, on the other hand, are taxes levied on production less subsidies received. Also, net taxes are taxes paid to the government less transfer payments.
Net taxes are a simple version of a checkbook balance for governments as they measure the inflows and outflows of the state’s tax activities.
Aside from adopting new system of taxation, the President also suggested the elimination of customs brokers, which he said are major source of corruption.
“Pagka may brokers, may corruption talaga ‘yan. Ngayon, sinasabi ko, sabihin mo sa Pilipino, kung gusto talaga nila walang corruption, tanggalin na natin ‘yan mga ano gross, wala ng examiner sa Customs, wala ng brokers,” he said.
“Take away the brokers and you would have cut corruption overnight.”
Asked by reporters if a law or an executive order is needed to do away with customs brokers, the President said those are no longer necessary.
“I am the executive of this government. There are things which I have to do that Congress cannot tinker with,” he explained. “Those are one of them because that is to save the country from perdition. Maraming ganun, maraming corruption. So gusto mo ng corruption, o sige mag-pass kayo ng law but I will not wait for them.”
