Fuel marking seen to raise BOC tax take by over P10-B

Speaking to Palace reporters, Customs Assistant Commissioner Vincent Maronilla said fuel marking could improve the BOC’s tax collection for 2020, since it is seen to generate more than PHP10-billion additional revenue this year. (File Photo By PhotoPhilia, CC BY-SA 3.0)

MANILA — The full implementation of the fuel marking program in 2020 is expected to help the Bureau of Customs (BOC) meet its PHP731-billion net collection target for this year, an official from the bureau said on Wednesday.

Speaking to Palace reporters, Customs Assistant Commissioner Vincent Maronilla said fuel marking could improve the BOC’s tax collection for 2020, since it is seen to generate more than PHP10-billion additional revenue this year.

“Ang full implementation po nito ay mapapatupad na at (Its full implementation is about to happen and) we’re expecting to substantial additional revenues out of the fuel marking program,” Maronilla said during the Palace weekly economic briefing.

“PHP730 billion, ‘yun ang total target namin (is our total collection target). We’re still now looking at how much of that or the estimate of that is going to be attributed to the success of the fuel marking program. Last year, PHP10 billion. So most likely, we’re looking at the same figure. Maybe a little adjustment to it… Kung hindi man, mas malaki doon (the amount might be higher),” he added.

The fuel marking program, which formally commenced in August 2019, involves the mandatory marking and random field testing on fuel products.

The joint guidelines by the BOC, Bureau of Internal Revenue, and the Department of Finance issued in July 2019 require the implementation of mandatory marking of refined, manufactured, or imported gasoline, diesel and kerosene in the Philippines, including those from free zones.

The joint guidelines also mandate the random field testing and confirmatory on the fuel which will be conducted to check compliance with the mandatory marking requirement.

BOC Deputy Commissioner Teddy Raval noted that the total collection for oil products in 2019 was PHP145.2 billion, higher by PHP45 billion from the PHP91.9 billion collected in 2018.

He said the partial implementation of the fuel marking program helped improve the total collection for petroleum products last year.

“We cannot attribute this to the fuel marking dahil hindi pa (because it was not) fully implemented last year although we started it in August. But of course, statistics don’t lie,” said Raval, who joined Maronilla at the press briefing.

Maronilla noted that so far, the BOC and the BIR were able to mark around 2.5 billion fuel products from 24 terminals and two refineries from Batangas, Subic, Bataan, Cebu, Leyte, Davao, and Cagayan de Oro.

“Patuloy na gagawin ito ng ating pamahalaan ng BOC at BIR sa buong taong ito upang mailunsad na ang kaukulang full implementation of fuel marking program (The BOC and BIR will continue fulfilling their respective mandates to ensure the full implementation of the fuel marking program),” he said.

Maronilla said all oil companies only have until Feb. 9 to comply with the government’s fuel marking program.

He warned that firms that fail to have their fuel marked will face appropriate sanctions, including the possible termination of their operations.

“I think we’ve given sufficient time for everyone to comply. So wala na ho dapat excuse kung sino man yung mga kumpanya or yung mga retailers (So any company owners or retailers cannot give any excuse),” the BOC official said.

“Ang hindi markado o hindi pasado ang langis, maaring kumpiskahin ng gobyerno ang mga ito, dagdag pa ang pag-sampa ng mga kaukulang kaso, pagbabayad ng multa at posibleng pagpapasara ng gas stations (Unmarked fuel can be confiscated by the government. Erring gas stations will also face appropriate charges and penalties, and possible termination of services),” he added.