City of San Fernando—Only 552 online sellers in Central Luzon have registered with the Bureau of Internal Revenue and a big number of traders using the internet are operating without permit from the agency.
BIR Regional Investigation Division Assistant Chief Ester Roda Formoso thus urged online traders to file their registration and pay their tax dues “as it is their obligation.” She said a team from the BRID will check their tax compliance.
“Online sellers do not have fixed stores, so it is difficult for us to oversee their transactions. With that, we are highly encouraging them to register, file, and pay for their income taxes,” she said.
Formoso added that online trading is a convenient way of selling goods — from hardware to household and ready-to-wear items — from the comfort of their homes, but it is unfair for other legitimate businesses that are paying their taxes.
Applicants are required to secure valid ID, proof of residence, P500 for registration fee, and P30 for documentary stamps.
Formoso said online sellers must issue printed official receipts or invoices to their customers, being a legitimate store.
“In lieu of our authority to print, BIR has printed receipts. Online sellers can avail these in BIR offices, amounting to P30 only per booklet. They can use these in their transactions,” she explained.
Meanwhile, convenience store or sari-sari owners are required to pay an annual registration fee of P500.
“Under the tax code, any person who profits, engaged in business, or the exercise of profession needs to register. For sari-sari store owners, the deadline for the payment of registration fee is on January 31,” she explained.
Minimum wage earners are not required to register and pay taxes provided that their annual income is not more than P250,000 per year.
