As far as the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is concerned, senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) are entitled to discounts over the online purchases they made, according to a GMA Network news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA Network news article. Some parts in boldface…
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Wednesday said the discounts on purchases made online by senior citizens and persons with disabilities are mandatory.
“Online platforms should recognize the mandatory discounts given to senior citizens (SC) and persons with disabilities (PWD). The BIR has issued Revenue Regulation (RR) No. 8-2023 to this effect,” BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. said in a statement.
“The signature of the SC/PWD is not needed if the purchase is made through online means. The SC/PWD Identification card number should still be provided,” Lumagui said.
Under RR No. 8-2023, the BIR said that the signature of the SC or PWD shall not be required for qualified purchases made online or through mobile applications.
“Nonetheless, the SC/PWD Identification Card number should still be provided by the SC/PWD when purchasing through online or mobile platforms; and the rules on entitlement to the benefits of the SC/PWD and to the tax deduction… and to future issuances pertaining to SC/PWD purchases through online or mobile applications, shall be strictly followed,” the RR read.
Lumagui said the issuance is “a step towards making the BIR a service-oriented agency, not merely a goal-oriented one.”
Meanwhile, the BIR is proposing to impose a creditable withholding tax of 1% on one-half of the gross remittances of online platform providers to their partner sellers or merchants.
The taxman had defended the proposal, saying it is not a new tax and its collection is within existing laws.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think that mandatory discounts on online purchases made by senior citizens and PWDs are justified? Do you think the BIR made the right move?
You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.
+++++
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. If you want to support my website, please consider making a donation. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/.
Author Carlo Carrasco 