Gov't urged to press POGOs to pay tax liabilities to augment Rolly response funds

Senator Joel Villanueva on Monday reminded revenue-generating agencies to press Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) to pay their tax deficiencies, supposedly amounting to P50 billion, as the government looks for resources to aid areas hit by Super Typhoon Rolly.

In a statement, Villanueva called on the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to make sure that all pending taxes are collected before allowing POGOs to shut down their operations so that the government will have the needed funds to finance the rehabilitation efforts for communities affected by the recent typhoon.

“Paubos na raw po ang ating pondo para sa mga biktima ng mga Bagyong Quinta at Rolly. Dapat pong mas maging determinado ang ating BIR na habulin ang utang ng mga POGO na nagkakahalaga ng P50 bilyon dahil magagamit natin ito pangtustos sa mga pangangailangan ng mga biktima ng bagyo,” he said.

"Move on na lang ba tayo sa pagkakautang ng mga POGO? Kahit po nagsasara na ang ilan sa mga POGO, dapat siguruhin ng BIR na sisingilin ng tamang buwis bago payagan isara ang kanilang mga negosyo," he added.

Citing the 6 a.m. report of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Villanueva said the agency only has standby hands amounting P254.35 million.

At least 105,000 individuals have been brought to evacuation centers in the Bicol Region, while about 39,000 others have also been evacuated in Calabarzon and Mimaropa, as well as in the Cordillera Administrative Region.

“Matindi po ang pinsala sa mga probinsya ng Catanduanes, Albay, Quezon, at Batangas, at sa iba pang mga bayan na direktang hinagupit ng Bagyong Rolly," Villanueva said.

"Kailangan po ng mga LGU ng karagdagang tulong mula sa national government dahil alam po nating nagamit na ang karamihan sa calamity fund nila para sa COVID response sa kani-kanilang mga nasasakupan,” he added.

Villanueva is hoping that Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III would continue pushing revenue-generating agencies to collect the unpaid taxes.

"Now more than ever, we need to plug tax leaks because the lives of the displaced depend on the assistance to our government. We cannot and we should not fail them," he said.

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation in June said that more POGOs were seen to exit the Philippines due to tax "issues" with the government, after two offshore gaming companies had left. —Erwin Colcol/KG, GMA News