The Makati Business Club (MBC) has joined the call of various sectors for the passage of a law that will make paying taxes for Filipinos easy, boost tax payment compliance. The business group has also hailed the efforts of, among others, House Ways and Means Chair Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda in crafting such measures.
In a recent statement, the MBC said: “We pray that the House, the Senate, and the President agree on, and enact an EOPT (Ease of Paying Taxes) law this year to ease and improve taxpayer compliance, strengthen the government’s finances, and help businesses accelerate the creation of more and better jobs.”
“We acknowledge the leadership exhibited by Rep. Joey Salceda on EOPT, with the House of Representatives passing its counterpart… in September 2022,” the statement added.
The MBC has also expressed gratitude to the Senate Ways and Means Committee for recently approving SB 2224 or the Ease of Paying Taxes bill. Its counterpart measure is HB 4125 which was principally authored by Salceda, and was passed by the House of Representatives in September 2022. “We respectfully urge the Senate to pass the measure, and the Senate and the House to agree on and enact a law” on EOPT, it stressed.
The group explained that an Ease of Paying Taxes law would make it easier for all taxpayers, especially micro and small enterprises, to do their duty to fund government infrastructure, programs, services and national security. In addition, it will also enable businesses, especially MSMEs, to focus more time and effort on creating more and better jobs.
“We look forward to measure’s proposed changes such as better classification of taxpayers into micro, small, medium, and large, each with a special unit to cater to their needs, and simplified tax returns and processes for micro and small taxpayers,” it added.
The MBC said it looks forward to changes like allowing taxpayers to file and pay their taxes in any revenue district office, not just their RDOs, and to have the choice to file and pay all taxes physically or electronically, as well as to file and pay in just one RDO, not all in the RDO areas they operate in.
“We respectfully encourage the Senate to pass a version of the bill following interpellation and after making amendments it may deem necessary,” the MBC said.
Last March, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) emphasized the need for a tax policy to encourage taxpayers to pay instead of evading their taxes. “We believe the government’s call for payment of taxes should be supported by a tax policy that will encourage taxpayers to pay rather than evade paying taxes. Once enacted into law, the Ease of Paying Taxes Bill will provide a simple and convenient online system for taxpayers to pay their taxes,” PCCI head George Barcelon said at the group’s general membership meeting in March.
On several ocassions, Salceda has called on their Senate counterparts to act on the priority legislations of President Marcos, Jr., and ratify among others, the EOPT Act and HB 7909 or the Estate Tax Amnesty Extension.
Salceda had earlier expressed hope President Marcos can sign the biggest taxation reform measures in decades before his second State of the Nation Address (SONA), particularly the estate tax amnesty extension bill before Congress adjourns sine die on June 3.
“I think it is also possible, albeit on a slim chance – but best efforts on our part, that the EOPT Act could be enacted or ratified before the SONA,” Salceda said in a statement.
Last week, the lawmaker said he will move for the adoption of the Senate version of the Estate Tax Amnesty Extension bill once it is passed on third reading by the upper chamber, to do away with the Senate-House Bicameral Committee procedures and ensure its enactment in time for the SONA.