ALL AUDITS and other field operations have been suspended by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) until Jan. 8.
In Revenue Memorandum Order No. 55-2022, BIR Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui, Jr. said all field audits and other field operations related to examination and verification of taxpayers’ records and accounts have been suspended from Dec. 16 to Jan. 8, 2023.
He said no written orders to audit or investigate taxpayers’ internal revenue tax liabilities will be served during this period, except in certain cases.
For instance, the suspension order will not cover tax evasion cases, as well as the investigation of cases prescribing on or before April 15, 2023.
The BIR will also continue processing and verifying estate tax returns, donor’s tax returns, capital gains tax returns and withholding tax returns on the sale of real properties or shares of stocks, as well as documentary stamp tax returns.
The examination and/or verification of internal revenue tax liabilities of taxpayers retiring from business will also continue during the holidays, as well as the monitoring of “tiangge” stalls.
Also exempted from the order are matters where deadlines have been imposed.
“During the said period, BIR examiners and investigators are directed to do office work on their cases and to complete the report on those cases with already completed field work,” the BIR said in a separate statement.
The BIR also reminded employees to ensure the maximum revenue collection will be achieved.
“The service of assessment notices, warrants and seizure notices should still be effected,” it said.
Taxpayers can also voluntarily pay their known deficiency taxes.
The National Government’s revenue collection in the January-to-November period stood at P3.27 trillion, 18.13% higher year on year. Tax revenues rose by 17.5% to P2.96 trillion in tax revenues as of end-November.
The BIR accounted for the bulk of tax revenues in the 11-month period with P2.16 trillion, rising 12.56% from a year ago.
The Development Budget Coordination Committee earlier this month raised the full-year revenue target to P3.51 trillion, equivalent to 16.1% of gross domestic product, from P3.3 trillion previously. — K.B.Ta-asan