Suggestions for new finance chief

My congratulations to Ralph Recto for his appointment as secretary of finance. According to him, his main goal is to collect P20 million a day in tax revenues. I am sure that with his leadership, this is doable.

I am not in business or finance but just a practical citizen. My suggestions are: 1) put teeth into the implementation of the current laws on taxation, no need to create new ones but follow the rules completely with no exemptions to the VIPs, even those in the executive department; 2) demand payment in back taxes especially from our leaders both from the government, business, and industry; 3) consider giving a discount or some form of tax abatement for payments of back taxes with a time limit to encourage prompt payment; 4) encourage all citizens to pay taxes even how small through education by the use of media, TV, airwaves, print, and social media, that it is their civic duty to support the government; 5) establish or strengthen rules on the corruption of employees from the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Bureau of Customs, and Department of Finance starting with lifestyle checks, and if proven guilty, punishment by firing them, removing their privileges like pension and even jail with restitution of money they had stolen from the government. An award with a certain amount can be given to the anonymous “whistleblowers” in addition to making them “heroes” for the department.

Maybe difficult but nothing wrong in trying. Encourage all customers to request official receipts even in the markets. Show the people where their tax money goes.

I wish him luck and hope that with these suggestions, he wakes up every morning with P20 million in the government coffers.

Ida M. Tiongco,