The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) asked taxpayers anew to transact business online to protect them as well as taxmen from catching COVID-19.

BIR Commissioner Caesar Dulay has issued Revenue Memorandum Circular No.130-2020 setting the guideline on how the virtual meetings should be conducted.

The bureau will invite the taxpayer or his duly authorized representative to discuss the result of its investigation and other related issues, using only the prescribed BIR email address of taxpayer (name.surname@bir.gov.ph.). 

The use of personal email is prohibited.

To maintain confidentiality, no electronic or audio recording will be allowed.

Unauthorized recordings will be subject to appropriate criminal, civil, and administrative sanctions.

Insiders said the online audit conference started the implementation of the contactless Internal Revenue Integrated System (IRIS) which is also used by many developed countries.

Among others, BIR computers calculate discrepancies by comparing tax declarations with information supplied by third parties.

The taxpayers are given the opportunity to answer or protest digitally the deficiency tax assessment.

Revenue officials said the IRIS can identify honest taxpayers from cheaters as well as those entitled to refund.

They said the IRIS will facilitate collection of tax dues and eliminate under-the-table deal between dishonest taxpayers and corrupt taxmen.