PHL doctors promise to pay right taxes

The Philippine Medical Association (PMA) on Tuesday vowed to implement stricter measures to ensure that members are paying the right taxes, following a recent shame campaign by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) portraying doctors as tax evaders.

 

“Let us be united and embrace cooperative diplomacy in dealing with government and regulatory agencies and with all other stakeholders including our fellow physicians,” newly-elected PMA president Dr. Minerva Calimag said in a statement Tuesday.

 

“If we shut all doors and stop communicating, then we will not be able to air our sides and we will lose the chance for positive change to take place,” she added.

 

Calimag said the PMA had a series of dialogues with BIR Commissioner Kim Henares on how doctors can better comply with the guidelines set by the bureau in monitoring their professional fees on which tax payments will be based.

 

“It is now time to take positive action. I now call on our fellow physicians to join hand-in-hand in nation-building,” said Calimag.

 

In a phone interview, Philippine College of Physicians (PCP) president Dr. Anthony Leachon said among the issues agreed upon during the dialogues on May 2, 6 and 19, was a measure that would help the BIR monitor if doctors are declaring the right amount of income in their Income Tax Return (ITR).

 

“The PMA and the BIR came up with an agreement na instead of requiring our doctors to post their professional fees in their clinics, we will just require them to keep four books of records open for BIR scrutiny anytime,” Leachon told GMA News Online.

 

Based on the agreement, each doctor must have the following books starting May 31:
 

“Yung senior citizens kasi at PWDs may 20 percent discounts in any service, kaya we need to have separate log books for them,” Leachon explained.

 

These four books should be registered with the BIR, Leachon said, noting it was also agreed that BIR personnel can stage random examination of the books anytime.

 

“Ito ngayon 'yung magiging benchmark ng BIR in determining the right amount of tax that a doctor should pay. Ito ngayon 'yung i-co-compare nila with the ITRs filed by the doctor to determine kung may discrepancy,” Leachon said.

 

Last September, the PMA issued a manifesto opposing the proposal of the BIR requiring doctors as well as lawyers to post their professional fees in their clinics and offices.

 

“The practice of medicine is not a business enterprise where tag prices are attached to the services, goods or wares sold in the market place... Under the Physician's Code of Ethics as approved by the Philippine Medical Association, the Professional Fees of Physicians are confidential and privileged communications between Physicians and Patients,” the manifesto read.

 

Leachon said members of the PMA are amenable to the new agreement with the BIR.

 

“Alam mo, ang mga doctors natin ay very cooperative naman talaga. Marami sa kanila ay misguided lang on the proper declaration of income. We hope this new agreement would help them in the determining the right amount of income that they should declare,” Leachon added. – VS, GMA News