Executive Order No. 54, January 22, 1993

DIRECTING THE YEARLY PUBLICATION OF LISTS OF PERSONS WHO FILED INCOME TAX RETURNS AND PAID INCOME TAXES

WHEREAS, Section 64 of the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) provides that “the Commissioner of Internal Revenue may in each year cause to be prepared and published in any newspaper and otherwise make available a list containing the names and addresses of persons who have filed income tax returns with the amount of income declared and the income tax paid by each”;

WHEREAS, the same provision of the said Code also provides that the “list of taxpayers for the preceding taxable year in each municipality or city shall be posted in the main entrance of the respective municipal building or city hall;

WHEREAS, such publication of persons who complied with the tax law will enhance voluntary compliance;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Philippines, do hereby order that:

Section 1. The BIR shall require the publication of an annual list of the top 4,000 corporations, indicating their gross sales or receipts and total taxes paid, in at least two newspapers of general circulation.

Section 2. The BIR shall furnish annually to local government units information indicating the gross sales and business and income taxes paid by each person, corporate or otherwise, who is required to file an income tax return within the jurisdiction of the local government unit. The said information shall also be posted by the local government units in appropriate public places generally accessible to the public.

Section 3. The BIR shall publish annually a list of the following government officials who have filed income tax returns, indicating in said list the amount of income declared and the income tax paid by each official:

a. Executive Department—The President of the Philippines, Department Secretaries, Undersecretaries and Assistant Secretaries;

b. Legislative Department – Senators and Congressmen; and

c. All other appointive and elective government officials who may later be deemed appropriate by the BIR to be included in such published list.

Section 4. The Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management shall give preferential budgetary support to the tax administration function of the BIR and all appropriate programs designed to improve the effectiveness of tax collection.

Section 3. The Secretary of Finance, upon recommendation of the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue, shall promulgate the necessary regulations to implement this Executive Order. The regulations shall provide for the phased implementation of this Executive Order.

Section 4. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila this 22nd day of January, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-three.

(Sgd.) FIDEL V. RAMOS

President of the Philippines

By the President:

(Sgd.) ANTONIO T. CARPIO

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel