BIR-13 says no extension of April 16 deadline for ITR filing
CEBU CITY, April 13 (PIA) –- With deadline for the filing of income tax return (ITR) due on Monday, April 16, taxpayers are urged to visit tax filing centers in big shopping malls and different regional district offices of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) here as there will be no extension of the deadline.
BIR-13 Regional Director Rodita Galanto said they have completed their tax information advocacy drive to all local government units (LGUs) in the provinces of Cebu and Bohol which are under their coverage.
So far, the response of the LGUs and other info drive activities were quite positive, said Galanto during the Kapihan sa PIA this morning on the BIR’s tax information campaign.
“We have also put up eight tax filing centers in big shopping malls in Cebu to accommodate taxpayers,” bared Galanto.
The tax filing centers (TFCs), launched last March 31 and manned by revenue officers, are located in Ayala Center Cebu, SM City Cebu, Gaisano Country Mall, Metro Gaisano, Elizabeth Mall, J. Center and Park Mall. The TFCs are open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. except Sundays and holidays.
Galanto also said their five district offices are also open to serve the public.
For those who dislike queuing, the BIR-13 chief said taxpayers can also pay via the authorized agent banks (AABs). With the imminent deadline, the AABs are mandated to accommodate tax payments until 5:00 p.m. this week until Monday, this is learned.
Responding to the new age of technology, Galanto also recommended the use of electronic filing for others who want to pay just within the comfort of their homes.
“There is no reason why taxpayers cannot file their ITR on time or within the deadline as government has open all means to make it easier and possible for them to comply within the given period,” disclosed Galanto.
The BIR-13 chief stressed there will also be no extension of office hours although those who are already there can be accommodated even beyond 5:00 p.m.
Atty. Asuncion Bernades, the chief of the legal division of BIR-13 also advised to pay on time and prevent the necessary surcharges and interests that need to be paid due to late filing.
The BIR-13 kicked off its tax information campaign last February 27. (PIA-Cebu)
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Business group sponsors anti-crime stickers
CEBU CITY, April 13 (PIA) -- The Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) has sponsored the production of thousands of anti-crime stickers and posters to help the city police maintain peace and order.
In bold text written with ‘Get involved. Report and help stop crime,’ the stickers are posted on public utility jeepneys plying Mandaue City while the posters are pasted on commercial establishments throughout the city.
PSupt. James Goforth, deputy city director for operations of the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) said the battle against crimes is not the responsibility of the police alone but of every sector and every peace-loving citizen.
“We are very grateful to the support of the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry for sponsoring the thousands of anti-crime stickers and posters. We hope that though this strategy, we can spur the public to do their share in helping fight crime by immediately reporting any suspicious activities in their neighborhood,” said Goforth.
Goforth said that with active citizen involvement, maintaining peace and order is much easier which translates to a more conducive business environment and faster economic growth for Mandaue City dubbed as Cebu province’s industrial premiere.
The sticker and poster bore the different cell phone and landline numbers of the MCPO and its three offices namely investigation, intelligence and the city tactical open center.
A hotline number open 24 hours and seven days a week can also be accessed by the public. Likewise, the city police’s website is also disclosed for the public’s consumption.
Goforth said the positive relations between the MCPO and the MCCI is a good example that public-private partnership is an effective strategy to promote and maintain peace and order in the community. (PIA Cebu)
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Naga and Cabadbaran to ink sisterhood pact
CEBU CITY, April 13 (PIA) -- The City of Naga in Cebu province and the City of Cabadbaran in the province of Agusan del Norte will formally seal an agreement on the establishment of a sisterhood relationship between the two cities on April 18 at the Naga City Hall.
Naga City Mayor Valdemar Chiong and Cabadbaran Mayor Dale Corvera both saw the need to create sisterhood relationship between their two cities in order to further strengthen their ties, close collaboration, and mutual understanding.
The two leaders also aimed to share knowledge and resources in the fields of culture and the arts, education, tourism industry, commerce and trade, technological advancement, urban planning, and economic development for new cities among other.
The two cities have been good allies that started during their conversion as new component cities in 2007.
Present during the formal sealing of the sisterhood pact will be the leaders of the two cities the mayors, vice mayors, city councilors, and the Sangguniang Kabataan Federation presidents.
The highlight of the event will be the reading of sisterhood pact that will mark the mutual understanding of these cities in the name of friendship, unity, and development. (AS-PIA CEBU)
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BIR urges taxpayers to file right tax amount before deadline
CEBU CITY, APRIL 13 (PIA) -- Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Regional Director Rodita Galanto urged taxpayers to pay their taxes before the deadline.
Galanto said the taxpayers, especially the professionals, should file their taxes before the deadline to avoid penalties.
Galanto was speaking in a press conference held at the Philippine Information Agency office in Cebu City, together with BIR-7 Assistant Regional Director Conrad Lee, Atty. Asuncion Bernades of BIR Chief Legal Division, RDO Wilfredo Pilapil and Regional Information Officer Queenie Luz Auditor.
RDO Wilfredo Pilapil said they will issue a letter of authority (LOA) to some taxpayers to probe the accuracy of their tax declarations and payments.
Pilapil clarified that it is just an ordinary investigation for tax payment.
Pilapil also said that they will conduct a lifestyle check on professionals based on their five years access of data base.
"Through this, we will know if the tax payer had filed the correct income tax and paid for the right amount," he said.
On the other hand, Galanto said that taxpayers should use the new BIR forms as the bureau will no longer accept the old forms that will be filed to them.
Said forms are available at BIR offices and other offices that accept BIR tax filing such as shopping malls and banks. It is also available for download at the BIR website.
The BIR office is open from 8:00a.m. until 5:00 p.m. with no noon break.
The deadline of the said filing of tax will be on April 15 to 16. Galanto emphasized that there will be no extension of deadline if ever they can’t comply before or within the said date. (PIA-7/Darling May Deita/CNU Comm Intern)
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Navy attends human rights advocacy seminar
By Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, April 13 (PIA) -- Sixty-five sailors and marines of the Naval Forces Central (NAVFORCEN) attended the three-day Human Rights Advocacy seminar held recently at its headquarters in Brgy. Canjulao, Lapu-Lapu City.
The Human Rights Office of the Armed Forces of the Philippines through Col. Domingo Tutaan Jr. PA (GSC) and Cdr. Zosimo DG Jimenez PN (GSC), the Chief Navy, Human Rights Officer spearheaded the said activity.
For the Navy, knowledge and understanding of human rights is necessary and important as human beings, citizens, and protector of the people.
Lieutenant Junior Grade Sherwin Domingo, one of the attendees of the seminar, emphasized the importance of awareness of existing human rights laws and other related laws.
Some of the topics in the seminar included the definition of human rights and the cases that can be filed if human rights have been violated, among others.
Domingo admitted that this is the first time he had attended such activity and he was grateful for it.
“There are existing human rights that we must obey. Observe it in your everyday life,” Domingo added.
NAVFORCEN Acting Chief, Captain Ingemar Pernes, said that the activity is a reaffirmation of the commitment of their officers, men, and women towards the protection and preservation of human lives.
“The activity is part of the crusade of the men and women of the Philippine Navy to promote zero human rights violation within the entire organization and to become an effective human rights advocate, one must embrace it as his or her own,” he concluded. (mbcn/hfg-PIA7 & Navforcen)
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Biz group joins peace & order campaign
CEBU CITY, April 12 (PIA) -- The Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) has produced anti-crime stickers and posters to help raise public awareness on peace and order.
The stickers with the text ‘GET INVOLVED. REPORT & HELP STOP CRIME’ have been posted on public utility jeepneys plying Mandaue City while the posters are pasted on commercial establishments throughout the city.
P/Supt. James Goforth, deputy city director for operations of the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) said the battle against crimes is not the responsibility of the police alone but of every sector and every peace-loving citizen.
“We are very grateful to the support of the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry for sponsoring the thousands of anti-crime stickers and posters. We hope that though this strategy, we can spur the public to do their share in helping fight crime by immediately reporting any suspicious activities in their neighborhood” said Goforth.
Goforth said that with active citizen involvement, maintaining peace and order is much easier which translates to a more conducive business environment and faster economic growth for Mandaue City dubbed as Cebu province’s industrial premiere.
The sticker and poster bore the different cell phone and landline numbers of the MCPO and its three offices namely investigation, intelligence and the city tactical open center.
A hotline number open 24 hours and seven days a week can also be accessed by the public. Likewise, the city police’s website is also disclosed for the public’s consumption.
Goforth said the positive relations between the MCPO and the MCCI is a good example that public-private partnership is an effective strategy to promote and maintain peace and order in the community. (PIA-Cebu)
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BIR: Cebuanos are good taxpayers
CEBU CITY April 12 (PIA) -- Majority of Cebuanos are good taxpayers as the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Revenue District Office 13 based in Cebu City have consistently exceeded its tax collection target for the past three years.
“I am very thankful because we did not encounter much of a problem in dealing with taxpayers in Cebu because Cebuano people are compliant in terms of payments and filing of income tax return on time,” said BIR-13 Regional Director Rodita Galanto during the recent PIA Kapihan that tackled on the tax information drive.
Galanto said the agency has shown consistent positive performance for the past three years as she attributed this to the cooperation and support shown by the Cebuanos.
In 2009, the BIR-13 collected more than the tax collection goal of P9.5 billion while the following year, the agency posted 12.33 percent growth in collection performance with P12.7 billion compared to its goal of only P11.4 billion. Last year, total tax remittances amounted to P12.456 billion compared to its goal of P12.421 billion posting a one percent growth.
Though Galanto lauded the efforts of the five district offices under BIR-13 for strengthening their tax information drive but she largely credited the Cebuano taxpayers for their good collection performance.
BIR-13 covers the provinces of Cebu and Bohol while four out of the five district offices are based in Cebu.
“With the cooperation and support shown by Cebuano taxpayers, we are optimistic that we can be able to achieve our collection goal for 2012 of P14.3 billion,” said Galanto.
For the first quarter this year, the agency has a target goal of P3. 22 billion but so far, the collection performance posted a tentative total of only P3.06 billion with a slight deficit of P152 million or 4.72 percent.
The figures however, were only tentative as all the data from the different regional district offices are still being collated and finalized.
“By next week, we will be able to finalize all tax collections from the period January to March. Here we will know whether we have surpassed our tax collection performance,” bared Zenaida Pancito, chief of the Collection Division of BIR-13.
Pancito echoed Galanto’s optimism that the agency will be able to exceed its target goal for the first quarter this year as some remittances from the municipalities and other rural areas have yet to be tabulated.
Every year, the agency’s tax collection goal is increasing as Pancito said this remains a challenge to them especially as they have shown consistent positive performance for the past three years.
“Every year we expect an increase in collection goal as our objective is really to increase tax collections. Tax is the lifeblood of the nation and the money will be spent by the government on basic public services among other priorities,” Pancito said.
Meanwhile, BIR 13 Chief Legal Division Atty. Asuncion Bernades in the same forum disclosed that they have endorsed to their national office one company in Mandaue City for investigation of possible tax fraud.
Bernades withheld the name of the company as it is subject for investigation. There are around 100 cases that have been elevated to the special investigation unit of their Central Office for possible tax evasion and fraud. (FCR/AS/PIA-Cebu)