SEN. Risa Hontiveros yesterday called on the Bureau of Internal Revenue to “withdraw, rewrite” its memorandum on taxing small online sellers, which she said was untimely amid the economic misfortune caused by lockdowns imposed to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.
“Kung may deadline man, sana ay i-urong muna dahil nasa panahon tayo ng matinding krisis (If there is a deadline, maybe the BIR can postpone it because we are now in the middle of a crisis),” Hontiveros said.
Hontiveros said the BIR registration will entail small online sellers to shell out a total of P3,760 (P2,260 for the documentary requirement and P1,500 to have their receipts imprinted), which, considering the minimum income that they get from selling products online, can be considered substantial.
Instead of imposing taxes during, the senator said it would be best if government promote and protect online selling as a safe and efficient means of earning income nowadays.
“At dahil online ito at limited ang physical contact, mas ligtas ito kumpara sa mga tradisyunal na trabaho (Since this is online, physical contact is limited which is safer compared to traditional jobs),” she added.
Hontiveros reiterated that the BIR should first collect the P50 billion unpaid taxes from Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) to help the government fund its fight against COVID-19.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said the BIR must get tough against POGOs which do not pay the appropriate taxes.
Gatchalian said POGOs now owe the government P70 billion in unpaid taxes.
“Kung may utang talaga, habulin natin. Kasuhan. Ipakulong ang dapat ipakulong dahil tax evasion yan, para magbayad sila (If these POGOs owe the government, let us run after them. File charges and jail them because that is tax evasion. We must do this so they will pay their obligations),” Gatchalian said.
He said the government allowed POGOs to operate during the enhanced community quarantine to generate additional funds but this, he lamented, did not happen since the POGOs refused to pay their unpaid taxes.
“’Yung mga POGO na ‘yan kung alam nila na malaki kikitain dito at hindi maganda ‘yung environment, aalis at aalis ‘yan papunta sa iba, pero nandito sila dahil alam nila kumikita sila. So habulin natin sila at magbayad ng tax (These POGOs know that they can earn a lot while here, and I am sure that they will move out if the environment is not conducive for them. They are staying here because they are earning a lot. So, we must run after them and force them to pay the right taxes),” he said.
