BIR grants tax relief to quake-hit taxpayers

By Tracy Cabrera 

WITH north central Mindanao reeling from the impact of Monday’s earthquake, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has decided to extend tax filing, payment and document submission deadlines for taxpayers affected by the 7.8 magnitude tremor.

According to BIR commissioner Atty Charlito Martin Mendoza, the decision to extend the deadlines is in alignment with President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. (PBBM)’s directive for a whole-of-government response to support affected communities and accelerate recovery efforts. 

The extension was granted pursuant to Revenue Regulations 13-2024, which allows the BIR to move filing and payment deadlines in areas affected by calamities and other extraordinary events.

“Through this extension, we hope to provide affected taxpayers additional time and flexibility as families, businesses, local governments, and national government agencies attend to immediate needs and recovery work,” Mendoza enthused.

Under Revenue Memorandum Circular 62-2026, the extension covers taxpayers under Revenue District Office (RDO) 110 in General Santos City and Sarangani, as well as RDO 111 in South Cotabato.

Accordingly, the latest circular extends the tax deadlines originally scheduled from June 8 to June 29 to June 30, 2026.

Among the requirements covered by the extension are monthly withholding tax remittances, value-added tax (VAT) returns, percentage tax returns, corporate income tax returns, excise tax returns and various information returns.

“The relief measure also covers the submission of transcript sheets of official register books used by manufacturers and importers of excisable products, monthly e-sales reports of taxpayers using cash register machines and point-of-sale systems, as well as quarterly summary lists of sales, purchases and importations by VAT-registered taxpayers,” Mendoza continued. 

Corporate taxpayers with fiscal years ending Feb. 28, 2026, will likewise benefit from the extension for the filing and payment of income tax returns and annual capital gains tax returns.

The BIR also moved the deadline for the filing and payment of quarterly VAT returns and quarterly percentage tax returns for taxpayers whose fiscal quarter ended on May 31, 2026.

One-time transactions such as estate taxes, donor’s taxes and taxes related to transfers of real property and shares of stock with due dates falling between June 8 and June 29 may also be settled until June 30 without penalties.

Taxpayers covered by the circular will not be subjected to surcharges, interest or other penalties, provided that the required tax returns, payments and supporting documents are submitted within the extended period.

If the extended due date falls on a holiday or non-working day, taxpayers may file returns, submit documents, and pay taxes on the following working day.