MANILA -- President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday said the government is working towards the simplification of the country’s tax system.

“So ganoon din ang iniisip namin kasi isipin ninyo we are trying to simplify ‘yung payment ng BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue),” Marcos said in an interview during his visit to the vaccination site at Pasig City Sports Complex.

The chief executive issued the statement after he vetoed a bill granting tax exemptions to the honoraria, allowances, as well as other benefits given to election workers.

Marcos cautioned against the creation of a new tax category, noting that this would open the structure to leakage, confusion, and red tape.

“Ngayon kung lalagyan natin ng bagong kategorya ‘yan and there will be more chance of leakage, the confusion, mas mahirap gawin, eh mas magkakaproblema baka ‘yung iba, the red tape, makakain lang ng red tape ‘yan. So that’s one reason why we did not do it,” he said.

Marcos, in his message to lawmakers, stated that the proposed bill “runs counter to the objective of the government’s Comprehensive Tax Reform Program to correct the inequity in the country’s tax system and negate the progressivity of the reforms introduced under the Republic Act No. 10963 or TRAIN Law.”

Despite the veto, the chief executive assured that his administration would still provide support to poll workers through targeted budgetary spending.

Marcos likewise explained that the system of granting assistance or subsidies to Filipinos is already existing.

“And then, doon tayo magdadagdag ng ayuda and we do not have to put a new section, a new category sa pagbayad ng tax dahil ang sa pagbigay ng ayuda, ‘yung buong makinarya na pagbigay ng ayuda ay nandiyan na. Sasabihin na lang natin okay isama natin doon sa mga magiging beneficiary ang mga election workers,” he said.

The President further noted that the government is banking on the national ID or the Philippine Identification System in streamlining the granting of assistance.

“Para maging mas maayos ang pagbigay pati ng ayuda. ‘Yung national ID we are counting on the national ID to help with that. Kung sakali hawak na nila ‘yung national ID, wala na. Hindi na sila mag-a-apply, hindi na sila kahit na anong gagawin. Basta’t papadala na lang namin ‘yung ayuda,” he said.

In his first State of the Nation Address, the President said the government expects to issue 30 million physical IDs and 20 million digital IDs by the end of 2022.

“The target is to accomplish the issuance of about 92 million IDs by the middle of next year,” he said. (PND)