Tax deadline extended to Aug. 18 for habagat-hit taxpayers
MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has further extended the deadline for certain tax obligations to August 18 in areas affected by the southwest monsoon or habagat, as millions of Filipinos continue to reel from heavy rains and flooding.
Under Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 95-2026, deadlines previously moved to August 17 under RMC No. 89-2026 have been extended for another day.
The extension applies to BIR offices in Metro Manila, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Cavite, Batangas, Rizal and Mindoro.
Taxpayers covered by the extension may complete their specified filing, payment, remittance and submission requirements until August 18 without incurring the corresponding penalties.
The latest circular also expands the coverage to taxpayers who were unable to comply with their tax obligations due to technical issues affecting the eBIRForms Offline Package.
“We recognize the difficulties faced by taxpayers affected by the rains, as well as those who are unable to comply because of the technical issues with eBIRForms," Commissioner Charlito Martin Mendoza said in a statement posted on Facebook on August 14.
"We are giving them additional time to complete their tax obligations without penalty,” he added.
The extension covers specified filing, payment, remittance and submission requirements that were originally due from August 10 to 16, including applicable withholding tax returns, income tax returns, ONETT transactions and other obligations listed under the circular.
The BIR also issued a Bank Bulletin directing authorized agent banks to accept covered tax returns and payments until August 18 without imposing the corresponding penalties.
This applies to both taxpayers covered by the habagat-related extension and those affected by the unavailability of the eBIRForms Offline Package.
The bureau, however, clarified that taxpayers required to use the Electronic Filing and Payment System (eFPS) who are not covered by RMC No. 89-2026 are not included in the extension.
These taxpayers must continue using eFPS to file their returns and pay their tax liabilities.
The BIR reminded all covered taxpayers to complete their filing and payment requirements by August 18.
"At the same time, we assure taxpayers that when circumstances beyond their control make compliance difficult, the BIR will continue to respond reasonably and give them a fair opportunity to comply,” Mendoza said.
The extension comes as the enhanced habagat, together with tropical cyclones Luis and Maymay, has affected more than 4.1 million people across several regions, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
The NDRRMC said 4,177,097 individuals or 1,205,839 families had been affected as of 6 a.m. Friday. A total of 523 evacuation centers had also been opened, sheltering 51,912 people or 14,511 families.
The disaster council recorded 21 deaths, 17 injuries and three people still missing. Benguet accounted for 15 of the fatalities, all caused by landslides, including 10 deaths in Baguio City.
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