BIR, DOF urged to extend ITR filing deadline amid ECQ

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Nancy Binay urged the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Department of Finance to extend the April 15 deadline for the filing and payment of annual income tax returns (ITR) for 2020 amid the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) imposed on the “NCR Plus” bubble.

“I-extend na lang sana ang April 15 deadline, kahit na sa NCR Plus lang. We already extended last year dahil sa enhanced community quarantine. Nasa parehong sitwasyon tayo a year later, kaya hindi ko naiintindihan bakit hindi mapagbigyan,” Binay said in a statement Wednesday.

(I call for an extension to the April 15 deadline, even if it’s only within NCR Plus. We already extended last year because of the enhanced community quarantine. We are now facing the same situation a year later, I don’t understand why the deadline could not be extended again.)

The “NCR Plus” area covers Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal.

She noted that BIR Deputy Commissioner Arnel Guballa had said that the bureau would not be extending the deadline due to the government’s need to reach its revenue targets to fund the pandemic response.

He added that while there would be no extension, taxpayers will be allowed to amend their filings until May 15 without any penalties, according to the senator.

But Binay pointed out that individual taxpayers and even micro and small businesses would find it difficult to comply in the first place given the imposed restrictions.

“Ang talo kasi rito iyong mga indibidwal at maliliit na negosyo na limitado ang kapasidad na kumpletuhin ang mga requirements dahil sa lockdown. So para sa kanila, walang bearing ang no-penalty amendments dahil baka mismong pag-file hindi nila magawa,” she said.

(Those who own small businesses are at the losing end here because they have limited capacity to accomplish the requirements because of the lockdown. So for them, the no-penalty amendments has no bearing because even the mere act of filing would be difficult for them to do.)

Furthermore, she stressed that even corporate taxpayers would be pressed for time in adjusting their payments to the lower rates provided as relief by the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Law, which was only signed into law last Mar. 26.

The BIR released the law’s draft implementing rules and regulations on Tuesday, she noted.

While she understood that the government needs to reach revenue targets, Binay said the public “should not have to pay the price” for the mishandling of the public health crisis in the country.

“Hindi naman kasi taumbayan ang may kasalanan kung bakit lumala ang sitwasyon na kinakaharap natin. So why are we passing the buck if they aren’t responsible for the mismanagement of this crisis?” she lamented.

(It’s not the public’s fault that we are in this situation again. So why are we passing the buck if they aren’t responsible for the mismanagement of this crisis?)

Citing BIR’s monthly collection goal, Binay said the agency aims to collect P235.237 billion in April.

“Hindi naman dahil extended ay hindi na magbabayad [Not because it’s extended does not mean they will not pay]. Those who are able to will file and pay,” she assured.

“Ang panawagan lang naman natin [What we are calling for] is not to penalize those who are unable to comply because of the difficulties presented by the lockdown,” she added.

JE