BIR online glitches make it difficult for many to file ITR before deadline

A few days before the deadline of the Bureau of Internal Revenue for filing income tax returns, many taxpayers have complained about the glitches they encounter when filing ITR online. 

 

"This webpage is not available [ang lumalabas]. Sa eBIRforms naman po offline, naka-zip siya pero failed to open," said taxpayer Gie Marcojos in a report on GMA-7's "24 Oras." 

 

On the other hand, another taxpayer Nina Clemena did not have a problem downloading the forms but she also had a problem accessing the BIR website for submission. 

 

"Dapat daw po online na, eh ang hirap nga po mag-online," she said. 

 

BIR set April 15 as the deadline for the filing of ITRs. If they failed to file their ITRs on time, they will be fined P1,000 plus 25 percent of the tax due. 

 

Last March 17, less than a month before the deadline, the BIR issued an order directing taxpayers to file ITR via Electronic Bureau of Internal Revenue Forms (eBIRForms).

 

Since then, taxpayers have complained about the new system and the Tax Management Association of the Philippines has expressed concern over the mandatory requirement of filing ITR online.

 

"Hindi naman lahat ng mga covered taxpayers are computer literate or might not have access to a computer. These covered taxpayers who might not be in the position to comply given the very short timing... Sana gradual yung pag-phase in the mandatory requirement," said TMAP president Atty. Terence Conrad Bello. 

 

Meanwhile, Senator Bam Aquino asked the BIR to defer the fines under the new paperless system and give taxpayers ample time to get to know the eBIRforms. 

 

The BIR explained that the electronic filing and payment system has been up for a while for big companies. But it was only this year that more taxpayers are required to follow the same process. Thus, BIR said it already expected that the taxpayers would encounter the glitches. 

 

"Every filing season, alam mo naman mga Pilipino, they file during deadline... We are trying to manage these problems encountered by taxpayers," said BIR Taxpayers Service Programs chief Marivic Galban.

 

The goal of the eBIRforms is to make filing ITRs easier for taxpayers. 

 

Instead of manually computing the taxes and filling the details out on a form, BIR's electronic filing and payment system allow taxpayers to just type in their details on an eBIRform and let the computer total the payables. 

 

"The goal is to ensure na accurate 'yung reporting ng ating taxpayer at accurate rin ang computations nila. Having that, they won't have problems with the BIR already," Galban added. 

 

For those who have encountered the glitches on the website, BIR said that taxpayers can download the forms on knowyourtaxes.ph, dof.gov.ph, or through Dropbox. 

 

Galban also said that they can bring a flash drive to any BIR district office and copy the eBIRforms. 

 

Taxpayers can also save their file and send it to BIR's email if they have a problem submitting their ITRs through the website.  — Trisha Macas/ELR/JDS, GMA News