Advocating transparency and responsibility
AMONG THE executive departments of the Philippine government, the Department of Finance ( DoF) holds one of the most significant roles in charting the country’s roadmap to economic growth and stability.
Aside from its mandate to formulate, institutionalize and administer fiscal policies to fund government programs, this department also takes part in addressing transparency and tax issues through its various advocacies.
With the critical tasks designated to the DoF, transparency on all aspects of its operations is its major key to maintaining its integrity and competitiveness. The DoF also believes that financial information is meant to be shared with the public in the interest of transparency. This is why, in its Reform Agenda advocacy, the DoF provides the public open access to its financial data.
For transparency of trade and revenue collection at the Bureau of Customs ( BoC), the Customs ng Bayan microsite opened. The bureau’s seizures of smuggled goods and the improved BoC Electronic to Mobile System give the public easier access to its services.
For open access to regular fiscal and financial management performance assessment of all Local Government Units ( LGUs), the LGU Iskor ng ‘ Yong Bayan was launched. It aims to institutionalize the regular publication of fiscal indicators and performance reviews of LGUs. The scoreboard is published online through the Iskor ng ‘ Yong Bayan website to make sure that local treasurers and assessors are also accountable to the public. Meanwhile, to strengthen the involvement of all Filipinos in safeguarding the country from graft, tax evasion, smuggling, negligence, and other illegal practices committed by public servants, the DoF launched the Pera ng Bayan. It allows concerned citizens to report public servants guilty of the said offenses through its “reklamo” form found on its website. It encourages the public to become an active partner of the department in running after tax evaders, smugglers and other erring officials.
The DoF, through the Bureau of Internal Revenue ( BIR), also launched a campaign that encourages taxpayers to fulfill their obligations of paying the correct taxes. It stresses the importance of paying taxes by incorporating concepts of patriotism. It promotes the fact that paying taxes contributes to nation building. The DoF and BIR hope that the heightened awareness on paying taxes would also increase tax revenue collections.
The department’s other advocacies include Sin Tax Reform that helps finance the Universal Health Care program of the government, Public- Private Partnership ( PPP) program that enables the private sector to boost resources for infrastructure, a financial inclusion program that assists households and microentrepreneurs to engage in sustainable livelihood programs, and a Municipal Development Fund that offers LGUs concessional financing and free technical assistance to enhance their socioeconomic services.