DOF chief to act on calls to extend ITR filing deadline – Sotto

MANILA, Philippines — Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III will address appeals to extend the April 15 deadline for the annual filing of income tax returns (ITR) even after the Bureau of Internal Revenues earlier ruled out an extension despite the coronavirus disease 2019  (COVID-19) crisis hounding the country.

Dominguez’ commitment was relayed by Senate President Vicente Sotto III to reporters in a Viber message on Wednesday.

“Just got off the phone with DOF (Department of Finance) Sec. Sonny Dominguez, I requested him to extend the deadline of the filing of taxes. He said he will act on it (as soon as possible)!” Sotto said.

“He said he is calling a meeting right away to formulate the extension,” he added.

Sotto’s conversation with Dominguez comes after the BIR said the April 15 deadline would stay.

Under Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 25-2020, issued by BIR Commissioner Caesar Dulay on March 16, “the filing of the annual ITR for calendar year 2019 shall not be extended” despite a strict quarantine being implemented by the government over the entire Luzon.

Dominguez had earlier maintained that the yearly April 15 deadline to file ITRs cannot be changed under the Tax Code or the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997.

President Rodrigo Duterte has placed the Philippines under a state of calamity amid the rise in COVID-19 cases in the country.

The Philippines has so far reported 187 positive COVID-19 patients, with at least 14 dead.

GSG