By Vanne Elaine Terrazola Senator Joel Villanueva on Thursday appealed to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to also consider granting relief in the filing and payment of other liabilities before the agency. Sen. Joel Villanueva
(Senate of the Philippines Facebook page / MANILA BULLETIN) Villanueva issued the appeal as he thanked the bureau for heeding the calls on the extension of the deadline for filing of income tax returns (ITR) amid the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon. The BIR released a memorandum extending the deadline for the filing of 2019 ITR from April 15 to May 15. "We thank the Bureau of Internal Revenue for reconsidering its business-as-usual state of affairs and extending the deadline for the filing of annual income tax returns to May 15," Villanueva said in statement. "Just the same, we also plead with our tax authorities to grant a reprieve in the deadline for all other filings in the bureau as well, especially given the enhanced community quarantine where businesses are closed and mass public transportation is suspended." Villanueva, for instance, cited the submission of tax protests, which he said are "sensitive to deadlines." "If protests are not submitted on time, the assessment will be final. A tax protest entails gathering and collating official documents which are probably kept at offices to support the arguments of the person who filed the protest," he noted. He also mentioned the documentary stamp tax, which is payable within five days from the close of the taxable month; the capital gains tax, which should be settled within 30 days from the sale; the donor’s tax, which should be paid 30 days from donation; and the monthly and quarterly tax filings. "We understand that the extension has dire consequences, which includes incurring a shortfall of P145 billion. But right now, we need a concerted effort to keep our people confined in their homes, and reduce the anxiety they feel as much as possible. Having more infected patients will also be more costly for the government in terms of stretching our already-stressed healthcare system and our coffers as well," Villanueva said. The grant of the payment holiday, he said, will help encourage taxpayers to stay in their homes amid the threat of the COVID-19. "Tulungan po natin ang national at local governments na panatilihin ang ating mga mamamayan sa kanilang mga tahanan habang umiiral ang enhanced community quarantine (Let us help the national and local governments to keep residents in their homes during the enhanced community quarantine)," he said. On the other hand, he urged those who are able and ready to settle their taxes to use the electronic channels offered by the BIR. "Kailangan po ng inyong pamahalaan ang buwis na gagamiting pondo para labanan ang COVID-19 (The government needs those taxes to fund the fight against COVID-19)," Villanueva said.