By Rose B. Palacio

Davao City (22 March) -- Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) XI Director Atty. Marcelinda Omila-Yap urged the taxpaying public to operate within the law and pay their taxes correctly and promptly.

The deadline for filing of income tax returns is on April 16, since the regular deadline (April 15) falls on Sunday.

BIR has been undertaking strategies and methods to monitor business activities such as the BIR’s mapping operation, which could determine tax deficiencies on payments of taxes, Director Omila-Yap said during the regular “BIR Ug Ikaw” radio forum over DXRP Radyo ng Bayan anchored by Dang Jumala and the Philippine Information Agency.

Together with Director Omila-Yap were Revenue District Officer Jose Eric Furia, RDO assessment chief Susan Tusoy, Cherry Jaldon and Arlene Singco.

During the forum, Furia announced a widened information drive spearheaded by the BIR regional office and the RDO highlighting a citywide motorcade on March 28 starting at one o’clock in the afternoon along major city thoroughfares purposely to create awareness and tax consciousness among the public in view of the fast-approaching income tax filing deadline.

Every Revenue District Offices throughout the region are slated to have their respective motorcades and tax awareness drives in coordination with the local government units.

After the motorcade, a simple yet fitting program will be held at the RDO compound highlighting the awarding of prizes to those winners during the recently-concluded BIR’s Pinoy comic art competition.

Winners include: 1st prize winner - Paulo Cansino of Daniel Aguinaldo National High school; 2nd prize winner – Normelita Rom of San Juan Nat’l HS; and 3rd – Leah Caresa Celiz of DCHS.

RDO Furia said the district office is also stepping up its Tax Compliance Verification Drive to make sure that business establishments are not violating government rules on registration, invoicing and bookkeeping.