Friday, March 30, 2007 BIR reminds taxpayers of April 16 deadline
NORTHERN Mindanao taxpayers have until April 16, 2007 to file their annual Income Tax Returns (ITR) for 2006.
As a general rule, filing of the ITR for a certain year is due on April 15 of the year following that which the income was earned, said Regional Director Mustapha M. Gandarosa of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR)-Region 16.
For 2007, however, April 15 falls on a Sunday. Hence, the deadline is extended to the following day, which is April 16.
Gandarosa said all the BIR Authorized Agent Banks (AAB) in the region have been requested by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue (CIR) through Bank Bulletin (BB) No. 2007-02 to be open on March 31, 2007 and April 14, 2007, both Saturdays, to extend their banking hours to 5 pm. in order to accept tax payments/returns.
Similarly, the CIR has enjoined them through BB No. 2007-03 to extend their banking hours from April 1-16, 2007 and to assign more personnel as well as open more counters to service the needs of the taxpayers.
As early as January, this year, the different BIR Revenue District Offices (RDOs) in the region have already been receiving annual ITRs for 2006.
In fact, tax filing centers have been put up by the BIR in malls, barangay centers and other strategic places in the region to make the filing of annual ITR more convenient for the taxpaying public.
Meanwhile, lawyer Nenette G. Epon, BIR-16 Information Officer, has reiterated that taxpayers may now opt to pay their annual income taxes by a simple text message via PAYBIR for tax payment amounts of P10,000 and below.
Initiated by BIR, the PAYBIR is in cooperation with the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) and Globe Telecom acting as taxpayer agent by utilizing its G-Cash facility to make tax payments in behalf of all Globe and Touch Mobile subscribers who must also be registered G-Cash subscribers.
Tax payment via G-Cash, Epon said, is accepted for corporate and individual taxpayers. To register just follow this instruction: Text REG<4-digit M-PIN>Mother's Name>//// to 2882. Example: REG 1234/Aurora Reyes/July/Santos/5 Santol St., Project 4, QC/027564321.
One will then receive a text message saying that you have successfully registered.
For more information, you may visit the BIR website at www.bir.gov.ph. and go to the NEWS portion to view the Frequently Asked Questions on Mobile Payment, said Epon.
Epon has also invited the general public to avail of the BIR-16 E-Lounge and Library, which is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily in order to give assistance to taxpayers who wish to augment their knowledge in taxation.
"The said facility offers the use of computers and books to update the library users on the latest BIR issuances, such as Revenue Regulations, Revenue Memorandum Circulars, Revenue Rulings and other developments/information within the BIR and is located at the 4th Floor, Trinidad Bldg., Corrales-Yacapin Sts., Cagayan de Oro City," Epon said. (Trends)
