BAGUIO CITY (PIA) — The Bureau of Internal Revenue brought the Ease of Paying Taxes (EOPT) Act orientation seminar for Cordillera taxpayers at the Baguio Convention and Cultural Center on Thursday (August 15).
The event was attended by hundreds of taxpayers and business bookkeepers from the different parts of the region and were provided information on the EOPT and revenue regulations, which include taxpayers classification, registration and invoicing, income and withholding tax, value added tax, refund, and penalties and publications.
BIR Deputy Commissioner for the Operating Group Maridur Rosario outlined that the EOPD Act that was signed into law by President Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr. last January 22, introduces significant reforms to simplify tax compliance and ease the burden of taxpayers.
Rosario shared that key highlights of the law include categorizing four distinct groups namely; micro, small, medium and large, allowing taxpayers to file and pay anywhere, revising VAT regulations and documentation requirements, and removing the annual registration fee of P500 for business taxpayers.
“This act is particularly advantageous to micro and small businesses, marking a new chapter of tax compliance and administration for Filipino entrepreneurs,” Rosario said.
BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr., in his keynote message, said the EOPD law is in favor of the taxpayers.
“By the title itself – Ease of Paying Taxes, we can easily conclude that the government is adopting a pro-taxpayer approach, which is also a means to enhance monetary compliance and eventually aid in economic development”, Lumagui said.
As the taxpayers partner in revenue collection, Lumagui also assured that the BIR will continuously work in improving its systems and processes.
“On the part of the BIR, we understand that we have to improve tax administration to make it easier for our taxpayers. We are committed to improving our services for the benefit of the taxpayers, yan po ang maaasahan ng ating mga taxpayers, of course maraming mga challenges na haharapin, but definitely rest assured that the BIR is here working doubly hard to improve all our systems and processes para mas mapadali ang inyong mga transactions sa aming ahensya,” the Commissioner added.
With the BIR’s revenue target of P3.05 trillion for this fiscal year, Lumagui called for stronger partnership with Cordillera taxpayers in bringing in the needed revenue for the government to push for inclusive and sustainable development for the Filipino people.
“For this year P3 Trillion po ang naatas sa BIR na makolekta and this is not the job of BIR alone kami po ay ahente lamang, kami ang taga-kolekta lamang, pero ang amount po na iyan kayo po ang nagko-contribute po niyan, siguraduhin po natin na ang collection goal na ito na kinakailangan na pondo para mapondohan ang mga infrastructure projects at priority programs ng ating gobyerno ay makamit natin dahil lahat ng ito ay tungo sa pagpapaunlad ng ating bayan.”
“So, we make sure that each of us will do our respective roles in nation building and with this we are committed in helping you. Let us help each other, mahalin natin ang Pilipinas at paunlarin natin ang ating bayan,” Lumagui said. **CCD, PIA CAR
