Tax on birth, death certificates, other documents higher starting February 2

TACLOBAN CITY-Even the fees for civil registry documents are covered by the new tax law.

Starting February 2, the public will have to pay higher whenever they ask for copies of birth, death and marriage certificates as well as certificate of no-marriage (Cenomar).

Under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law, documentary stamp tax or tax imposed on documents and instruments had gone up.

Nikki Joy Balase, Philippine Statistics Authority-Eastern Visayas (PSA-8) information officer, said that due to the increase in documentary taxes, those securing civil registry documents would have to pay P15 more for each copy.

From P140, a copy of birth, marriage and death certificates now costs P155 each and P210 for every Cenomar from P195.

“The increase of the new rate effective Feb. 2 is based on the implementation rules and regulations of BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue) Revenue Regulations No.4-2-18 for documentary tax rate adjustment due to the TRAIN Law,” Balase said.

Last year, the PSA in Eastern Visayas released 414,890 civil registry documents.

“We have informed the public on the increase of the fees through media releases and in our website. We also announced this new rate adjustment through our public address system for those who are in our office,” said Balase.

Notices on the new rates were also placed inside their office, she added.

Among those who secure these documents are beneficiaries of the 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program), a cash grant program of the government aim to provide relief among the country’s poorest of the poor.

“I think the P15-increase is still within their reach. And it’s not only our office that will impose rate adjustments because of the implementation of this TRAIN Law,” Balase said. #