SENATOR Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan filed Senate Bill No. 1740 on February 2, seeking to extend the period of estate tax amnesty availment to December 31, 2028. The aim is to help Filipino families settle their estate tax obligations without the hefty penalties associated with missing the original deadline.
The proposed measure seeks to amend Republic Act No. 11213, as amended by RA Nos. 11569 and 11956. Pangilinan aims to extend the estate tax amnesty, which expired on June 14, 2025, to December 31, 2028, for the estates of those who died on or before December 31, 2024, and whose estate taxes remained unpaid or accrued as of December 31, 2024.
Under the bill, executors, administrators, legal heirs, transferees, or beneficiaries who want to avail of the amnesty must file a sworn Estate Tax Amnesty Return, either electronically or manually, by December 31, 2028.
In the bill’s explanatory note, Pangilinan recognized the persistent challenges faced by many Filipino families in settling their estate tax obligations and formalizing ownership of inherited properties. He noted that despite prior extensions, many Filipinos continue to struggle with compliance due to financial hardships, documentation gaps in long-unsettled estates, and complex probate requirements.
The proposed measure will free Filipino families from civil, criminal, and administrative liabilities and allow installment payments of estate taxes for up to two years without civil penalty and interest. Pangilinan added that the measure addresses longstanding barriers to timely settlement of estates by providing a clear, fair, and flexible pathway to compliance, supporting the orderly transfer of ownership and promoting the regularization of property rights.
