Tax payment made 'EZ'

MANILA, Philippines - Taxpayers will get a reprieve from the long queues usually encountered during tax filing season at the different offices of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

China Banking Corp. has unveiled recently payment kiosks, which make tax payments easier and more convenient.

The kiosks, which are similar to automated teller machines, will accept tax payments for all revenue districts.

The so-called China Bank EZ Pay would enable expedited tax payments at selected China Bank branches, making the bank the only other bank aside from the Land Bank of the Philippines to operate such kiosks.

BIR Commissioner Joel Tan-Torres inaugurated the kiosk at the China Bank main branch in Makati.

In an interview with The Star, the BIR chief said the move is a welcome initiative that he hopes to see also replicated by other banks.

“It’s another use of technology that will help our taxpayers. So we are very much supportive of this initiative,” Tan-Torres said.

The self-serve kiosks, supplied by payment kiosk integrator TouchMedia Philippines Inc. are installed at high-traffic branches to complete the bank’s electronic banking services. The kiosks are designed to make paying taxes fast and convenient. Transactions are completed in as fast as two minutes.

At present, there are already five kiosks scattered among the different branches.

Owen Maramag, vice-president for Customer Marketing, said that China Bank hopes to put up a total of 12 kiosks by yearend or an additional seven kiosks throughout the year.

Initially, China Bank EZ Pay kiosks process and accept individual and corporate tax payments. Within the year, other billers will be added to the roster, including utilities and other institutions.

China Bank’s Maramag said the bank hopes to make things easier for customers.

“With these EZ Pay kiosks, we hope to provide customers with a convenient service that enhances their banking experience with us while de-clogging our teller counters,” said Maramag.

Non-China Banking customers can also use the service, added Maramag.

He said there is a touch-screen interface that is very “user-friendly”.

“At the end of the transaction, the taxpayer gets a confirmation of his payment,” he said.

The steps are easy, too. First the taxpayer must get two sets of tax payment envelopes from the bank’s Customer Service Associate, fill out the required information and enclose the cash or check inside the envelope.

He then must proceed to the touch screen EZ Pay kiosk, follow the on-screen prompts and key-in the required information. After this, he will drop the envelope and insert the BIR form in the printer slot. The taxpayer must take both the validated form and the transaction receipt.

Indeed, with this convenient system, the BIR hopes that more and more people would be encouraged to pay the right amount of taxes to the government.

China Bank, established in 1920, is the country’s first privately owned commercial bank. Now controlled by the Henry Sy group, China Bank offers a wide range of financial products and services through more than 240 branches.