Influencer group open to dialogue with BIR on tax compliance

The head office of the Bureau of Internal Revenue in Quezon City. File photo from AFP

MANILA, Philippines — While it welcomed the issuance of a circular to define tax rules for social media influencers, the Creator and Influencer Council of the Philippines (CICP) likewise called for initiatives to “ease the burden” of tax compliance.

The CICP commended the release of the circular issued by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), saying that among the organization’s core values is responsible citizenship, “which necessarily includes the payment of taxes because it is the lifeblood of our government.”

“As such, it is imperative among us, as citizens, to do our part by paying proper taxes. We view the Circular as an opportunity to exemplify the importance we give to paying taxes and show others that we view it as a patriotic duty that any responsible citizen should fulfill,” the CICP said in a statement.

Nonetheless, the CICP hopes that the BIR “will soon introduce certain mechanisms that will ease the burden of tax compliance.”

“That said, we hope the BIR recognizes that we in the organization, as well as the vast community of Influencers, conduct business digitally,” CICP said.

“We hope the  BIR will soon introduce certain mechanisms that will ease the burden of tax compliance by using these digital platforms, not only for the benefit of the Influencers but also for the benefit of all taxpayers. We would be happy to dialogue with the Bureau about these initiatives,” it added.

The CICP said it is now crafting a Code of Ethics centered around content standards, fair dealing, transparency, social responsibility, and compliance with the law.

“The Circular is a timely reminder of the values that we champion for our members and the broader influencer community,” the CICP said.

“For this, we are thankful for the BIR in giving this opportunity not only for us to promote the organization’s core values, but also for us to show that we are doing our part as responsible citizens of this country,” it added.

The BIR earlier said it was already “in the process of identifying” tax-evading media influencers.