On April 5, 2015, we shared to you recent important updates on eBIRForms and others which includes the issuance of the following Revenue Regulations (RR) and Revenue Memorandum Circulars (RMC):

• RR No. 5-2015
• RMC No. 2-2015
• RMC No. 12-2015
• RMC No. 13-2015

To read back the summary of those updates, please click here.

With the number of tax filers who are dissatisfied with the changes and the eventual update on the systems as well as various other clarifications and various new procedures to follow, tax filers are at least hoping that the Bureau of Internal Revenue will issue again another directives that are favorable to us.

Just right after we have written those updates, another update was up for everyone and followed by four more updates:

RMC No. 14-2015 (dated March 30, 2015) – prescribes guidelines in the filing, receiving, and processing using the electronic platform of the BIR for the taxable year 2014 Income Tax Returns (ITRs) BIR Form Nos. 1700, 1701, 1702-RT, 1702-EX, and 1702-MX:

• ALL taxpayers are mandated to use the Offline eBIRForms Package
• Taxpayers mandated to use eBIRForms and file electronically who had already filed manually are mandated to re-file electronically before April 15, 2015
• Failure to comply – compromise penalty of P1,000 + 25% surchage
• Accompanying schedules and manual attachments to be submitted within 15 days after electronic filing
• SAWT shall be e-mailed to esubmission@bir.gov.ph
• Juridical entities/corporation and individuals enrolling their authorized representatives need to submit authorization certification to the BIR
• Individuals enrolling themselves are automatically approved

RMC No. 15-2015 (dated April 1, 2015) – defers implementation of e-filing of BIR Form Nos. 1600, 1601-C, 1601-E, 1601-F, 1602, 1603, 1606 which are due on or before April 15, 2015:

• Above returns may be filed manually before respective due dates using regular printed forms or eBIRForms and pay tax to AAB
• No payment return – file to RDO, ensure acknowledged thru MRCOS
• Both above shall re-file after April 15, 2015 but not beyond April 30, 2015

RMC No. 16-2015 (dated April 1, 2015) – provides alternative modes of obtaining Offline eBIRForms:

• Access to download site, here.
• E-mail submission of 2014 ITR is allowed whether enrolled or not to eBIRForms System

RMC No. 17-2015 (dated April 10, 2015) – provides supplemental issuance on RMC No. 16-2015 on alternative modes of obtaining offline eBIRForms package

• Access to download site, here.
• Uninstall v4.7.07 and install v4.7.08 (previous data encoded are preserved)
• If “Final Copy” was not executed in prior version, it can be submitted
• If “Final Copy” was already executed, it can be submitted follow process in Annex D of RMC No. 14-2015

RMC No. 18-2015 (dated April 10, 2015) – defers implementation of eFiling of “No Payment” Income Tax Returns:

• BIR Form Nos. 1700, 1701, 1702-RT, 1702-EX, and 1702-MX may be filed manually with RDO on or before April 15, 2015
• Required to re-file electronically on or before June 15, 2015
• Newly enrolled EFPS taxpayers with incomplete AABs registration – electronically file, pay manually, complete registration not later than June 15, 2015

Such updates also accompanied by an update of the eBIRForms offline package from version 4.8.07 to version 4.7.08, which can be downloaded here.

With four (4) remaining days before the income tax return filing deadline and the fact that there are still many taxpayers who have not filed their returns, struggling to comply with the RR No. 5-2015, and having trouble with dealing with all of the issues they encounter while using the eBIRForms, what will be the next step of the BIR.

The BIR has already extended the electronic filing of various monthly, quarterly and even annual returns with no payments.  Will the BIR resort to extending the deadline of filing of all annual returns to accommodate all the tax filers who are willing but not able to comply due to systems limitation of the BIR?

We’ll find out.  For now, work on meeting your deadlines and keep trying.  There are already many success stories shared on the web with the use of eBIRforms but until everyone has completed their filing, the agony is still prolonged.