birTACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, March 17 (PIA) – The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Revenue Region No.14 –Eastern Visayas formally launched Monday its 2015 tax advocacy campaign dubbed as “Angat Pa Pinas” at the BIR Multi-Purpose Building, Government Center, Palo, Leyte primarily aiming to achieve the P6.4 billion target tax collection for the region this year.

BIR Regional Director Diosdado R. Mendoza said the tax campaign is also to rekindle the nationalistic spirit of the Filipinos by calling on taxpayers to do their share through payment of correct taxes.

Mendoza admitted considerably that the year 2013 until the early part of 2014 was the toughest year for the agency due to the onslaught of typhoon Yolanda.

He said that he personally witnessed the destruction of houses, schools, buildings, churches, hospitals and major infrastructures. Most business establishments closed and peoples’ livelihood was severely ruined. They have practically lost everything resulting greatly the efficiency of tax collection for the first three quarters of 2014, he added.

However, with the efforts of the BIR and support of all stakeholders, tax collection slowly recovered towards the last three months of 2014 where the region surpassed the collection target by 28.39% or P307.8 million.

Furthermore, he said even if the region posted a slim deficit in January 2015, it surpassed the tax collection target in February with an increase of 4.58% or almost P20 million.

Meanwhile, BIR Deputy Commissioner Nelson M. Aspe congratulated and extended his thanks to all taxpayers and the BIR personnel in the region for registering an incredible revenue performance in the year 2014 despite the difficulties encountered by the people after the onslaught of typhoon Yolanda in November 2013.

As the deadline of filing income tax returns gets nearer, Aspe is reminding everyone to file income tax returns now; don’t wait for the delay as deadline will not be extended and file electronically. The deadline of filing of income tax returns is on April 15, 2015.

The tax campaign was highlighted by the Pledge of Support of some national government agencies, local chief executives, the business community, bankers, academe, the media, students and other stakeholders who gathered during the formal launching of the campaign.(aen/cba/PIA-8)