'BIR on Wheels' to help in proper tax filing

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Internal Revenue is setting up "BIR on Wheels" in malls and government agencies to help taxpayers properly file returns and compute fees for the tax season. Bringing BIR services closer to the public will help the tax agency prevent under-declaration of taxable income both for corporate and individual taxpayers, said Regional Director Marina de Guzman, who heads nine revenue district offices in the cities of Quezon, Mandaluyong and Pasig, as well as San Juan and Marikina. "The main objective is to make things easier for taxpayers. There are BIR examiners in each desk to answer their questions and to help them compute," Ms. de Guzman said in an interview. BIR on Wheels is currently available in malls like SM North and TriNoma, as well as the Quezon City hall. It will also be available in the offices of the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Ms. de Guzman said the BIR is extending this service to the public as taxpayers caught under-declaring their taxable income by 30% or more may face administrative and criminal charges, while those with businesses may see the closure of their establishments for at least five days. BIR on Wheels is one of the measures taken by the tax agency to help it meet its P845-billion target this year. Last month, various revenue offices also conducted tax information campaign in malls and convention centers to encourage correct payment of taxes. The BIR missed its P765-billion revenue target last year as it contributed only P713.6 billion to the national coffers. - BusinessWorld