Philippines Expands Mandatory e-Filing

by Mary Swire, Tax-News.com, Hong Kong

16 December 2014

The Philippines' Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has issued a Revenue Regulation (RR) that makes it mandatory for certain taxpayers to make use of the Electronic Filing and Payment System (eFPS) facility in filing their returns and paying their taxes.

eFPS is a system that has been created by the BIR for filing tax returns, including attachments, and paying taxes over the internet. All qualified taxpayers can use the system in filing and paying their taxes through e-Filing and e-Payment – electronically paying a tax liability online through the banking facilities of authorized agent banks.

However, from January 1, 2015, when the RR is expected to take effect for all their filed returns, eFPS will have to be utilized by taxpayers included in the Taxpayer Account Management Program (TAMP). TAMP taxpayers are those that have been identified by the BIR's district offices as accounting for at least 80 percent of the tax collected in their areas, and, as such, are already subject to heightened tax compliance controls.

In addition, accredited importers, including prospective importers required to secure Importer Clearance Certificates and Customs Broker Clearance Certificates, will be required to submit their tax returns and payments through eFPS. Such taxpayers, the RR noted, would include all importers and customs brokers (individuals, partnerships, corporations, cooperatives or associations).

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