BIR urged to extend tax filing deadline amid coronavirus threat
MANILA, Philippines — A lawmaker on Sunday urged the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to extend the April 15 deadline for the filing of income tax return (ITR) and asked the tax agency to “do its share” in mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 health crisis.
In a statement, Deputy Speaker and Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman said the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting “our way of life and the attitude should not be ‘business as usual’ for the BIR.”
“Habang ang mga tao ay nag-iisip kung paano papanatilihing ligtas ang kanilang mga pamilya, dadagdagan pa ba natin ang iniisip nila sa panahong ito? Let us be compassionate toward the circumstances of the people,” Hataman said.
“We should find ways of easing the daily burdens of our citizens. May community quarantine nga tayo sa Metro Manila hanggang April 14 eh, so dapat dun ang focus ng mga tao, kung papaanong mapipigilan ang pagkalat ng COVID-19 sa mga komunidad nila, hindi ang problema sa pagbabayad ng taxes,” he lamented.
The lawmaker said the tax agency should move the deadline indefinitely.
“I suggest the BIR open discussions for setting the tax filing deadline after April 14 to give the people enough breathing space to set their affairs in order. Tingnan muna natin ang resulta ng mga anti-COVID-19 measures ng gobyerno. Isa pa, mahabang pila yan. We don’t want people to spread the virus in these kinds of activities,” Hataman said.
The Basilan legislator earlier suggested giving hazard pay to those who will stay up and work despite the threat of COVID-19 infection, especially those in the medical field, healthcare workers, immigration employees, members of the media who are covering events, and security forces like the police and the military.
He also called on utility companies to practice leniency on those who may be delayed in paying their bills.
The Philippines has so far recorded 111 COVID-19 cases, of which, eight have already died.
President Rodrigo Duterte has placed the entire National Capital Region under quarantine to contain the spread of the disease, which originated from Hubei, China.
The World Health Organization declared the disease as a global pandemic after it killed nearly 5,000 people and infected 110,000 others worldwide.
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