Pinagbigyan na rin ng Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) ang panawagan ng maraming sektor na magkaroon ng extension sa deadline ng filing ng 2019 annual Income Tax Returns (ITRs) dahil na rin sa umiiral na enhanced community quarantine.
Mula sa kasalukuyang deadline na April 15, ipinagpaliban ito sa May 15, 2020.
Nakapaloob sa Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) na may petsang March 18 na pinirmahan ni BIR Commissioner Caesar Dulay, ang pagbibigay ng one-month extension sa income tax filing at payments ay walang ipapataw na penalties sa mga taxpayers.
Sa kabila nito umapela pa rin ang BIR na sana kung maari ay agahan din ng iba nating mga kababayan ang pagbabayad ng buwis dahil malaking tulong ito lalo na ngayon sa mga programa ng gobyerno para sa mga mahihirap at sa mga proyekto laban sa COVID-19.
“Those who are or will soon be ready are requested to file and contribute to the government’s efforts to fight COVID-19 and stimulate economic activity amid a possible growth slowdown. On behalf of the Filipino people, the Duterte administration expresses its gratitude to those who will perform their patriotic duty,” bahagi pa ng statement ng BIR. “In a previous revenue memorandum circular, the BIR had announced that taxpayers who are enrolled in the Electronic Filing and Payment System (EFPS) may settle their tax liabilities with the respective Authorized Agent Banks (AABs) where they are enrolled.”
Samantala, aminado naman ang BIR na abot umano sa P145 billion ang mawawala sa buwis na makokolekta ng gobyerno sa ginawang desisyon na pagpapaliban sa ITR filing.
Dahil dito ayon sa BIR, gagawa umano sila ng hakbang upang mapunan ang shortfall sa tax collections sa pamamagitan ng dagdag na pag-utang ng national government.
“An unintended result of the deadline extension is an estimated delay and shortfall in tax collections of around P145 billion, which may have to be covered by additional borrowings by the national government. The government is thus appealing to those who are able to file within the deadline or even as early as now to do so through mechanisms that have been made available by the BIR, including online filing and payment platforms.”
