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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider In House hearing, DOF bats for 1st general tax amnesty in almost 20 years

In House hearing, DOF bats for 1st general tax amnesty in almost 20 years

Published Sep 3, 2025 09:51 pm

At A Glance

  • The Department of Finance (DOF) has laid out a proposal before the House Committee on Ways and Means to implement a sweeping tax amnesty program covering unpaid internal revenue taxes as far back as 2007.
The House of Representatives (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)
The House of Representatives (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)


The Department of Finance (DOF) has laid out a proposal before the House Committee on Ways and Means to implement a sweeping tax amnesty program covering unpaid internal revenue taxes as far back as 2007.
DOF Assistant Secretary Nina Asuncion said the move was aimed at easing the burden on delinquent taxpayers while at the same time generating funds to help trim the government’s fiscal deficit.
Marikina City 2nd district Rep. Miro Quimbo, a returning lawmaker in the 20th Congress, presided over the ways and means panel briefing.
The proposed amnesty would apply to all unpaid internal revenue taxes up to taxable year 2024, with taxpayers settling obligations through an amnesty charge in exchange for immunity from civil, criminal, and administrative cases.
“This measure revives a provision previously vetoed by former President Rodrigo Duterte in 2019, which left only the estate tax amnesty in place,” Asuncion said.
Revenue projections are being finalized, but the DOF expects the measure to support deficit-reduction targets.
The fiscal gap ballooned to 8.6 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) at the height of the pandemic. The DOF aims to narrow it to 5.5 percent in 2025, 4 percent by 2028, and 3 percent by 2030.
The agency also assured lawmakers it would not push for new taxes until 2028, except those under the Single-Use Plastics Act.
Still, Batangas 1st district Rep. Leandro Leviste, committee vice chairman, urged Congress to pass progressive tax measures alongside his bill seeking to lower the value-added tax (VAT) from 12 percent to 10 percent. He argued the projected P130 billion loss from reduced VAT could be offset by wealth taxes.
The Philippines last enforced a general tax amnesty 18 years ago. This generated about P5.9 billion, or 0.6 percent of total revenues, according to government records.
Under the current proposal, the amnesty would cover income, withholding, capital gains, donor’s, excise, and documentary stamp taxes. For the Bureau of Customs (BOC), it would include VAT and excise taxes on importation, regardless of whether assessments had been issued.
Eligible taxpayers would gain immunity from penalties, confidentiality of disclosures, and exemption from Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) audits for the covered years.
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