FOR Finance Secretary Ralph Recto, his priority is to be able to collect trillions of pesos through taxation to boost the government coffers.

He said that thus is the first order of business for him after he was appointed chief of the Department of Finance. 

'Number one is to collect for next year, I think P4.3 trillion in taxes, P3 trillion with the BIR, P1 trillion with the BOC and I think the Treasure has P300 million, it's all about fiscal sustainability,'' Recto said.

''So every night, when I wake up in the morning, dapat ang nakolekta natin more or less P20 billion to fund all the needs of our people, the requirements of the government and to make sure that the money is spent wisely,'' he added.

Also, the former lawmakers said that the Philippine government can borrow some P2.7 trillion by next year.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., had said that Recto should be allowed to determine whether tax reforms are necessary.

''Well, I don't want to preempt the Secretary in making any of these announcements... Let him have a look," Marcos said.

"I know he's fully cognizant of different issues that are prevalent in the Department of Finance so let us allow him to make analysis and we leave it to him to make those announcements when the time comes,'' he added.