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The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) recently issued Revenue Regulations (RR) No. 9-2021 which imposed 12% Value-Added Tax (VAT) on certain transactions that were previously taxed at 0%. The RR took effect on June 27, 2021, 15 days from its publication.

More than a year after the onset of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the government continues to ramp up its efforts to reduce financial distress brought by the public health crisis. As part of its response, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) issued Revenue Regulations (RR) No. 8-2021 on June 12. RR 8-2021 seeks to amend RR 4-2021 which was initially issued to implement Value-Added Tax (VAT) and Percentage Taxes under Republic Act (RA) 11534 or the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act.

The Philippines is celebrating its 123rd year of independence. We have been enjoying our freedom for over a century and much has changed since then. For the business sector, changes have been directed towards intensifying the use of technology. Can we now say that we are moving towards freedom from the old way of doing business?

The transfer pricing compliance requirements introduced by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) in July 2020 are believed to be game-changers for taxpayers to ensure that their transactions with their related parties are planned, executed, and carried out in the same manner as dealing with independent third parties — what is called the “arm’s-length principle” or ALP.

On April 8, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) released Revenue Regulations (RR) No. 5-2021 which implements certain provisions of the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprise (CREATE) Act. It particularly implements the new Corporate Income Tax (CIT) rates, new income tax rates on certain passive incomes, and additional deductions from gross income of corporations and sole proprietors.

Filipinos have grown accustomed to celebrating festivities. However, things changed when the pandemic set in. Towards the close of the first half, it seems many celebrations have been called off due to safety concerns and travel restrictions. Without the pandemic, many would have been busy preparing for the Flores de Mayo and the Santacruzan.

“To be or not to be” is one of Shakespeare’s most famous lines — the opening of a Hamlet soliloquy in Act 3, Scene 1. Prince Hamlet is speaking it aloud, but none of the characters seem to hear him. Is it possible that the characters have chosen not to listen because the topic is death?

Being in the public practice for almost seven years now, I can say that this years’ tax filing season has been one of the busiest and most dreadful. Due to the pandemic, government-imposed community quarantines, and the signing of the CREATE Law, it has indeed been a rollercoaster ride.