Dominguez orders 24/7 processing of tax exemptions for donations to Odette victims

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III has ordered the quick and round-the-clock processing of applications for tax and duty exemptions for donations to communities ravaged by Typhoon Odette, the Department of Finance (DOF) said Thursday.

Dominguez’s directive is in response to President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to expedite relief and rehabilitation efforts in the disaster-hit areas, the DOF said in a statement.

The Finance department said Dominguez informed Duterte, in a letter dated December 21, of the agency’s readiness to quickly process applications on the grant of tax and duty exemptions for imported goods to be donated for “Odette” victims.

The DOF said its chief tasked several officials and personnel of its Revenue Office (RO) to be deployed and work in shifts on a 24-hour period to speed up the processing of Tax Exemption Indorsements (TEIs) and the quick release of importations of donated relief consignments expected to come from various foreign governments and international organizations or institutions.

Dominguez also approved the request of Finance Undersecretary Antonette Tionko, who heads the DOF’s Revenue Operations Group (ROG), to disseminate to the Office of the President (OP) and the public the guidelines and requirements on the issuance of TEIs as provided under Section 121 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).

Duterte declared on December 21 a state of calamity in six "Odette"-battered areas: Regions 4B (Mimaropa–Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), 6 (Western Visayas), 7 (Central Visayas), 8 (Eastern Visayas), 10 (Northern Mindanao) and 13 (Caraga).

Appropriate government agencies such as the Departments of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Foreign Affairs (DFA), and Health (DOH) and the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) may apply for TEIs that grant tax and duty exemptions to importations under Relief Consignment in the Bureau of Customs (BOC), according to the DOF.

The local government units (LGUs) as well as private or non-government organizations (NGOs) duly registered, licensed, or accredited by the appropriate government agencies may also apply for TEIs, it added.

Relief consignments include food, medicine, equipment and materials for shelter, vehicles and other means of transport that are donated or leased to government institutions and accredited private entities, for free distribution to the affected population or for use during relief and rescue operations in disaster-affected areas, the DOF said.—AOL, GMA News