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The holiday season is here! Parties, gift shopping, and year-end deadlines are piling up. Thus, the Christmas lyric, “You better watch out, you better not cry…” rings true. Because after the holiday cheer, LGU deadlines are waiting for business owners and taxpayers.

Christmas came early for many taxpayers this year through Revenue Memorandum Circular (“RMC”) No. 107-2025. While it’s not unusual for the BIR to stop its audit and field operations during the Christmas season, this year’s announcement came as a surprise. On November 24, 2025, the BIR issued an order suspending all audit and other field operations until further notice, to be lifted only by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue.

The foundation of any sovereign state rests on the ability to collect revenue, a principle often encapsulated in the legal maxim that “taxes are the lifeblood of the nation.” This overarching authority stems from the state’s inherent power of taxation, which exists even without an express provision in the Constitution.

In the intricate landscape of Philippine taxation, the Value-Added Tax (VAT) system stands out as one of the most technical and rigorously enforced. For businesses engaged in zero-rated sales, the ability to claim a refund of input VAT is not merely a matter of financial prudence but it is essential for maintaining competitiveness and healthy cash flow.

It is often said that the only constant in life is change. Last week, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) witnessed a significant leadership transition with the appointment of Commissioner Charlito Martin Mendoza, succeeding Romeo Lumagui Jr.

In the Philippines, the concept of ghosts or “multo” in Filipino, is more than just a supernatural phenomenon that haunts Filipinos’ imagination. It can also be a metaphor for an enduring symbol of unresolved issues or unanswered questions.

As businesses engage in cross-border transactions with related parties, transfer pricing adjustments become essential to ensure compliance with the arm’s length principle. These adjustments help align intercompany pricing with market standards, reducing the risk of tax disputes, penalties, and double taxation.

Transacting with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) for over two years, I have found its processes consistently convenient and efficient.