CEBU, Philippines – The Bureau of Internal Revenue-13 in Cebu City urges the public to demand official receipts from business establishments they are transacting with.
BIR-13 Regional Director Hermeno Palamine said in a recent interview that asking for receipts for things bought or services availed of should be made as a habit by the public.
Palamine claimed that there are enterprises that do not issue official receipts. Some even just give order slips to their customers.
Palamine urged the public to report to the bureau those enterprises that refuse to issue receipts or even do not issue receipts.
"It should be your patriotic duty to ask for receipt," the official said.
The BIR said issuance of unofficial receipts allows a business establishment to evade payment of correct taxes.
The BIR says all persons who are engaged in business shall secure from the BIR an authority to print receipts or sales or commercial invoices.
According to BIR, business establishments that are found not issuing receipts will have to pay as much as P20,000. Those who refuse to issue will have to pay as much as P50,000. While those issuing receipts that do not contain all the information required to be shown therein shall pay as much as P2,500.
In a recent issuance, the BIR has given business establishments until the end of this month to comply with the new rule specifying the information which should appear in an official receipt.
Enterprises are given time to reconfigure their cash registers.
Among the information that BIR requires include business name, taxpayer's identification number, taxpayer's registered name, phrase stating the receipt is valid for five years and disclosures of tax exemptions. (FREEMAN)