By Rose B. Palacio

Davao City (6 October) -- Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) XI Director Atty. Marcelinda Omila-Yap said the bureau has exceeded its target collection goal from January to August this year, as we continuously step up our efforts to reach our region's target collection of P6,344,680,000.

This year's national target collection of BIR is P675.4-billion which is 27% higher than the P532-billion collected last year.

BIR regional office through its cumulative report showed a 26.67% increase on its target collection from January to August 2006. The eight-month collection this year has totaled a P4,108,098,017.59 as compared to same period of 2005 amounting to P3,243,177,542.35.

Director Omila-Yap said the tax collection performance is largely boosted by the ongoing tax education and information campaign coupled with the various measures and strategies that iare being implemented by every district revenue offices in the region to exceed their respective target collections.

All revenue district offices have exceeded its target collections over the last year's (2005) collections. The biggest collection is in Davao City district revenue office under the leadership of Jose Eric Furia with a total of P2,991,916,982.61 (from January to August 2006) or an increase of 27.91% over last year's (2005) same period of P2,339,119,314.40.

Second highest is Tagum district revenue office under Atty Franklin Ladores with tax collections of P763,178,145.42 or an increase of 26.83% over same period of last year's collection amounting to P601,748,516.01.

Mati, Davao Oriental revenue district office under Bella Bintulan also exceeded its target goal (Jan to August 2006) by 10.19% amounting to P115,699,264.98. Last year's same period was P104,999,241.04.

Digos Davao del Sur revenue district office under Eddie Castillo also exceeded by 20.27% (Jan to August 2006) totaling P237,303,624.58. Last year's same period was P197,310,470.90.