BIR softens approach on social media influencers

Recently the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) announced that it would soften is approach on social media influencers, according to a Malaya Business Insight news report.

In reference to the Revenue Memorandum Circular 97-2021 issued by the BIR, social media influencers are defined as those who derive their income from the following sources: YouTube Partner Program; sponsored social and blog posts; display advertising; becoming a brand representative/ambassador; affiliate marketing; co-creating product lines; promoting own products; photo and video sales; digital courses, subscriptions, e-books; and podcasts and webinars.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Malaya Business Insight report. Some parts in boldface…

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think this latest move by the BIR will encourage social media influencers to come out and cooperate?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Ease of Paying Taxes Act signed into law by President Marcos

In recent times, Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., signed into law the Ease of Paying Taxes Act (officially referred to as Republic Act Number 11976 or RA11976), according to a news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think this new law will positively impact the nation’s taxation system? Do you think the new law’s impact will be felt within the next two years?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. 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 athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

BIR says half a trillion Pesos lost to tax evasion each year

Tax evasion remains a very serious problem in the Philippines. As far as the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is concerned, the authorities lose around half a trillion Pesos each year due to tax evasion, according to a BusinessWorld news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the BusinessWorld news article. Some parts in boldface…

THE GOVERNMENT loses around P500 billion annually to tax evasion, according to a top Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) official.

“There is a lot, especially if we include those involved in illicit trade. In cigarettes alone, there’s around P100 billion,” BIR Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui, Jr. said, when asked about revenue losses from tax evasion.

“Leakages aren’t part of that yet, like petroleum or vape products that aren’t registered, as well as fake receipts. I think it won’t go below P500 billion if you add everything up,” he added.

Mr. Lumagui said the BIR will have an easier time achieving its collection targets if it addresses tax evasion.

Earlier this month, the BIR filed 74 tax evasion complaints worth P3.5 billion against several companies.

We will tailor efforts to improve digital services so businesses will leave the shadow economy and join the tax net. We will now focus on enforcement activities against tax evaders, put emphasis on tapping uncollected taxes through illegal activities,” Mr. Lumagui said.

The BIR is currently monitoring and investigating a number of suspected tax evaders.

“The most important right now is the selling of fake receipts and we know who (they are). We are investigating so we can file a case against those involved,” Mr. Lumagui said.

The BIR is targeting to collect P2.6 trillion in revenues this year.

“With all our activities and efforts we are making, we will be able to achieve the tax collection target,” he said.

In 2022, the agency collected a total of P2.34 trillion, surpassing its P2.1-trillion target.

Meanwhile, Mr. Lumagui said the agency will also review its policies after the Supreme Court declared void its regulations that require firms to disclose the personal information of investors.

“We must respect the privacy (of these investors) but when it comes to the correct amount of taxes, the BIR has auditing power. There is still a need to pay taxes and the compliance of these businesses needs to be monitored. When it comes to determining the correct amount of taxes, we can investigate that,” he added.

The Supreme Court declared that the BIR Revenue Regulations No. 1-2014 and Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 5-2014 “void for being unconstitutional” as it violated the right to privacy.

The regulations require businesses to disclose investor information such as addresses, tax identification number (TIN), and birthdays, among others.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the BIR will be able to collect P2.6 trillion this year even with tax evasion still going on? What do you think should be done to eradicate tax evasion all over the Philippines?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. 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 athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Philippines achieves 7.6% economic growth in 2022

The Philippines’ recovery from the downturn of the COVID-19 crisis continued strongly as it has been confirmed that the national economy expanded by 7.6% for the entire year of 2022 which includes a 7.2% 4th quarter economic growth, according to a news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA). Take note that the Philippines is expected to grow between 6.5% and 7% in 2023 according to the national authorities while there are signs that the United States economy will fall into a recession this year. Regardless, the Philippines ended 2022 competitively in terms of economic expansion among its Asian neighbors.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the PNA news report. Some parts in boldface…

The Philippine economy expanded by 7.2 percent in the last quarter of 2022, bringing full-year growth to 7.6 percent, driven by increased economic activity mainly from pent-up demand as it fully reopened amid elevated inflation rate.

National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said among the major emerging economies in the region that have released their fourth-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) growth, the Philippines grew the fastest, followed by Vietnam at 5.9 percent and China at 2.9 percent.   

Our improved Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) risk management and the easing of mobility restrictions have created a positive economic outlook, boosting economic activity and creating more jobs despite external headwinds,” he said in a briefing on Thursday. 

Balisacan said measures being implemented by the government to further buoy the economy’s recovery are working.

Our strong economic growth performance for 2022 proves that our calibrated policies and strategies have helped put us on the path to recovery and on track to achieving our aspiration for an inclusive, prosperous, and resilient society by 2028,” he said.

Balisacan said pent-up demand drove growth in the fourth quarter as the economy was fully reopened during the period, with household consumption accounting for around three-fourths of domestic output, and investments contributing around a fifth.

The improvements in labor market conditions, increased tourism, revenge and holiday spending, and resumption of face-to-face classes supported growth in the quarter, further reflecting a solid rebound in consumer and investor confidence in the economy,” he said.

Balisacan said had it not been for the elevated inflation rate, which rose to its highest since November 2008 last December when it accelerated to 8.1 percent, “growth could have been higher by another perhaps 1 to 2 percentage points.”

“It shows how overall demand is sensitive to inflation,” he added.

In terms of the volume of economic activities, Balisacan said domestic growth has recovered for many sectors, except for others such as tourism.

“(But) in so far as per capital income… we haven’t fully recovered yet,” he said.

Balisacan said the government is firm on ensuring that quality jobs will be available to Filipinos to lessen their need to work abroad.

“Inclusive growth across the archipelago will be our vehicle for reducing poverty incidence from 18 percent of the population in 2021 to a single-digit level by 2028,” he said.

National Statistician Dennis Mapa said 2022 full year GDP growth of 7.6 percent exceeded the government’s 6.5 to 7.5 percent growth assumption for the year and the highest after the 8.8 percent in 1976.

Mapa said the fourth-quarter growth, slower than the 7.6 percent in the previous quarter, was driven by the wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, financial and insurance activities and retail estate and ownership of dwellings boosted domestic growth.

He said domestic demand remained strong, with the household final consumption expenditure (HFCE) rising by 2.1 percent quarter-on-quarter, led by the restaurants and hotels, food and non-alcoholic beverages, and miscellaneous goods and services. Year-on-year expansion of HFCE stood at 7 percent.

Among the major economic industries, Mapa said agriculture, forestry, and fishing contracted by 1.7 percent because of the lower output of sugarcane, palay (rice), and poultry and egg production.

Meanwhile, Balisacan said the government is doing pro-active assessment of the current situation to address the elevated inflation rate in the country, which is expected to go back to within the government’s 2 to 4 percent target band by the second half of this year.

He said the government continues to allow the importation of several food items to boost domestic supply, adding that not doing so will hurt both the consumers and domestic growth.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this new development? Do you believe that the economy of the Philippine economy will grow between 6.5% to 7% this year? Do you think that more foreign tourists coming into the country will be able to help the nation achieve its economic growth targets this year? Apart from what was already mentioned, what do you think the national government should do to combat inflation? Do you think that the lower income tax for middle income earners will make a positive contribution to economic growth?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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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/.

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Middle income earners in the Philippines will have lower income taxes this year

Recently, it was emphasized that middle income earners here in the Philippines will have lower income taxes to pay in accordance to the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law (Republic Act Number 10963) which will result in better take-home pay this year, according to a news article published by the Philippine News Agency (PNA). This is related to what was reported weeks ago by GMA Network news.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the PNA news report. Some parts in boldface…

Middle-income earners will have lower income taxes this year and thus, higher take-home pay, under Republic Act No 10963 or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law.

Taxpayers earning more than PHP250,000 a year but not over PHP8 million will be subject to lower income tax rates ranging from 15 percent to 30 percent, from the previous 20 percent to 32 percent.

Those with annual taxable income of PHP250,000 or below will continue to be exempt from paying income taxes.

“Inaasahan natin na lalo pang lalakas ang domestic consumption na may malaking kontribusyon sa paglago ng ating ekonomiya. Dahil sa pinababang buwis, mas mataas ang take-home pay ng mga empleyado na magiging malaking tulong sa gitna ng mataas na presyo ng mga bilihin (We expect a stronger domestic consumption which will be big contribution to our economy. With lower tax and higher take-home pay, this will be a good help amid the rising prices of commodities),” Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said in a statement on Monday.

Gatchalian cited the Teacher 1 post, with a monthly salary of PHP25,439 or Salary Grade (SG) 11, will now have monthly tax savings of PHP420.83 or PHP5,050 for the year.

A Nurse III with SG 17 or an entry level monthly income of PHP43,030 will save PHP1,289.13 monthly or PHP15,469 yearly.

“Dahil sa mas mataas ang kanilang kita, inaasahan din natin na magiging maganda itong insentibo para sa mga empleyado na lalo pa nilang paghusayan ang kanilang trabaho at magtulak sa kanila para mag impok o kaya ay mamuhunan (Because of a higher take-home pay, workers will be inspired to work better, save and invest), Gatchalian said.

Also included in the TRAIN law are provisions for small and micro self-employed professionals, who now have the option to pay a simpler, flat tax of eight percent on gross sales in lieu of the income and percentage tax.

Taxpayers can save time falling in line and filing and paying from eight times a year will be reduced to just four.

Estate tax will also be lowered from 20 percent to a single rate of six percent for net estate with standard deduction of PHP5 million as well as exemption for the first PHP10 million for the family home.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this new development? Are you qualified for a reduction of income taxes under the TRAIN Law? Have you consulted with a certified tax expert already?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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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/.

BIR confirms lower income tax rates for individual taxpayers effective on January 1, 2023

For those of you living and working here in the Philippines, be aware that starting January 1, 2023, lower tax rates will charged on individual taxpayers as confirmed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), according to a recent GMA Network news report. Now is a good time to approach a certified expert on taxation if you want to see how this upcoming development will affect you.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the GMA Network news report. Some parts in boldface…

Individual taxpayers will be charged lower tax rates starting next year, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) said Friday.

Individuals earning purely compensation income, including non-business/non-profession related income and sole proprietors, “can look forward to a higher take-home pay in 2023,” according to the BIR.

The taxman said the lower income tax rate is pursuant to Republic Act 10963, or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law, which took effect on January 1, 2018.

Starting January 1, 2023, those with annual taxable income below P250,000.00 are still exempt from paying personal income tax, while the rest of taxpayers, except those with taxable income of more than P8 million, will have lower tax rates ranging from 15% to 30% by 2023.

To maintain progressivity, the BIR imposed a 35% tax rate on top individual taxpayers with annual taxable incomes exceeding P8 million, up from 32% previously.

The income tax on the individual’s taxable income shall be computed based on the following schedules, effective January 1, 2023, and onwards:

The taxation reference from GMA’s news report.

Compared to the income tax rates imposed during the initial implementation of the TRAIN Law in 2018, the new annual income tax rates for individuals significantly decreased by 5% for those with taxable income of more than P250,000.00 up to P2,000,000.00, while a 2% decrease in tax rate was noted for those with taxable income of more than P2,000,000.00 up to P8,000,000.00.

The above article ended stating that employers must use the revised withholding tax table to calculate the withholding taxes on their employees’ compensation income taking effect on January 1, 2023.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this new development? When was the last time you consulted with a tax expert for insight about your income tax returns? Do you think this new development will boost the national economy as a whole somehow in 2023?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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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/.

CREATE bill to boost Philippine economy by cutting corporate income tax and implementing incentives

Yesterday, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez announced that the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act is aimed to reduce the corporate income tax which should lead to creating more jobs as well as attracting investments.

Given the dramatic fall of the Philippine economy as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the CREATE bill could be the big solution to boost the economy and pave the way for recovery. For almost a year now, the said pandemic caused a lot of people to lose their jobs and much of their income. A lot of businesses closed down as well.

For your reference, here is a long excerpt of the news release about the said bill published via Philippine News Agency (PNA). Key words are highlighted in bold:

The recent bicameral approval of the game-changing CREATE Act can also provide a big boost to the National Employment Recovery Strategy (NERS) Task Force chaired by the DTI and co-chaired by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), which was signed last Feb. 5 by several agencies.  

“The landmark tax and incentives reform bill that we expect to be signed by the President is expected to bring in (a) massive inflow of investments that will create more jobs, especially as we focus efforts in the National Employment Recovery during this period of the pandemic and beyond. The passing of CREATE will firm up the tax and incentive reforms that will make the investment climate significantly more attractive than the current tax and incentive regime,” Lopez said in a statement.

He said the bill will certainly encourage more investments with the lowering of the corporate income taxes rate from 30 percent to 20 percent for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and 25 percent for large corporations.

“Modernizing the incentives system likewise makes the incentives such as income tax holiday (ITH), special corporate income tax rates (SCIT) or enhanced deductions (ED), available to industries considered strategic, critical or export oriented,” he added.

The Trade chief said the length of incentives, such as four to seven years of ITH plus five or 10 years of SCIT or ED, will depend on the nature of industry, export or domestic oriented, degree of technology and value adding, and geographical location, with additional years outside the Metro Manila and urban centers.

“There is also (a) longer transition period for those currently granted incentives. Thus, incentives are now made more performance-based, focused and timebound,” Lopez said.

CREATE is a bill certified urgent by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte upon the recommendation of the economic team led by Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III.

Lopez also thanked the legislators at the Senate and the House of Representatives, with Sen. Pia Cayetano and Rep. Joey Salceda, respectively, as principal authors, for the hard work of the committee members in bringing the CREATE bill to fruition.

“The passing of CREATE will unleash the growth potential of investments by removing uncertainties during the period that the bill was under deliberation,” Lopez said. “Based on our estimate and those from Cong. Joey Salceda, CREATE can bring in over PHP200 billion of new investments that can generate 1.4 (million) to 2 million incremental jobs.”

CREATE will help boost investments in the Philippines, which would support the 2021 target of the Board of Investments (BOI) of PHP1.25-trillion investment approvals.

A report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) had also estimated that the Philippines bucked the trend in Southeast Asia, and had increased its foreign direct investments (FDIs) during the pandemic by 29 percent last year.

Meanwhile, the NERS 2021-2023 is a medium-term plan anchored on the updated Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 and ReCharge PH by expanding the Trabaho, Negosyo, Kabuhayan initiative and improving access and security of employment.

The strategy also takes into consideration the changes in the labor market brought about by the pandemic and the fast adoption of Fourth Industrial Revolution (FIRe) technologies.

“NERS shall also consolidate all measures, programs, and institutions that influence the demand and supply of labor, as well as the functioning of labor markets,” Lopez said.

Members of NERS Oversight Committee include the Departments of Transportation (DOTr), Tourism (DOT), Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Science and Technology (DOST), Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Agriculture (DA), Agrarian Reform (DAR), Interior and Local Government (DILG), Information and Communications Technology (DICT),  Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and National Security Council (NSC), as well as the Office of the Cabinet Secretary (OCS), Departments of Finance (DOF) and Budget and Management (DBM), and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III said: “This JMC (joint memorandum circular) will fortify our collective undertaking as a Task Force working to develop a policy environment that encourages the generation of more employment opportunities, improves employability and productivity of workers, and supports existing and emerging businesses.”

Lopez further stressed the importance of continuing with the calibrated and safe reopening of the economy to allow the country to regain the growth momentum that it had before the pandemic. 

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Thank you for reading. If you find this post 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. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com