Income tax filing ends tomorrow

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) made a final appeal to all taxpayers yesterday to file and pay the correct taxes to avoid stiff penalties.

Taxpayers are expected to troop to banks and BIR offices tomorrow, the deadline for the filing of income tax returns.

The revenue agency has long been reminding taxpayers to file their income tax returns early to avoid long queues.

As early as February, the BIR has issued implementing guidelines in the acceptance of income tax returns during the filing period.

In its Bank Bulletin No. 2007-03, the BIR said the filing period ends on April 16, instead of April 15, since the latter falls on a Sunday.

"This is the typical situation these days," said BIR Commissioner Jose Mario Buñag. "Because there are still some who just cannot do away with ‘do it tomorrow’ attitude; they tend to wait for the last day set by the BIR."

According to Buñag, the BIR has 1,500 authorized agent banks (AABs), which even opened on Saturdays, to cater to the needs of taxpayers nationwide.

These AABs are required to accept tax payments from tax-filers even if the latter are not depositors or do not have existing accounts with them.

"Once again, I am appealing to all AABs not to turn away taxpayers who are within the premises of their banks by the closing time on April 16," Buñag said.

Aside from these banks, the BIR also put up tax filing centers in shopping malls around the country, which were also open on Saturdays for taxpayers who wanted to file their income tax returns for the year 2006.

The filing centers set up with the help of the Association of Chief Revenue Officers of the Philippines (ACROPHIL) in various malls in Metro Manila were at the following: SM North Edsa, Robinsons Metro East, Ever Gotesco Ortigas Extension, SM Megamall, Shangrila, SM-Libis, SM South Mall, Alabang Town Center, Festival Supermall, Glorietta, Eastwood, Power Plant Mall-Rockwell Center, Waltermart Supermarket, ground floor of the Atrium building in Makati City, and Market!Market!.

Tax filing centers were also put up at SM Centerpoint Drive, Harrison Plaza, Robinsons Place, SM San Lazaro, SM Valenzuela, Royal Family Mall, Puregold, Malabon City Square Market, Gotesco Grand Central, Sta. Lucia Mall, Metro East, Robinsons, and Save More Supermarket.

Meanwhile, the BIR set up tax centers in the provinces manned by local revenuers.

"Be patriotic to the country by paying the correct taxes and help the nation attain economic progress," Buñag said.

As per BIR rules, late income tax filers face 25 percent surcharge or 50 percent surcharge in case of fraud, an interest of 20 percent, and compromise penalty to their basic tax due.

BIR officials led by Buñag will visit various filing centers to tomorrow. - Katherine Adraneda