New internet cafés for paying taxes

MANILA, Philippines- Though never enjoyable, paying taxes is about to get a little easier. The government’s tax collection agency, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), will be setting up Internet café-like facilities in nearly 30 revenue district offices by March.

 

The eLounge, as BIR is calling it, is meant to cut-down long lines at revenue offices during the busy April tax filing season. 

Each eLounge will be outfitted with at least 3 desktop computers. Though reminiscent of an Internet café, the eLounge is free to use.

 

Taxpayers could use the eLounge to settle payments and access tax information for registration, filing returns and compliance. 

 

 

Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares said the new facilities are being put in place to respond to requests from taxpayers who don’t have access to computers and have diffiulty transacting electronically with the BIR.

 

The first eLounge was launched in the Pasig revenue district office on Thursday, February 23.

 

The move comes as BIR faces pressure to increase revenue collection to P1.066 trillion this year, up from P940 billion last year.

 

In response to the BIR’s push to increase excise taxes on alcohol and tobacco, Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corp. President Chris Nelson had told Businessworld the government should focus on tax administration and guarantee that it is capable of collecting the additional revenues. 

 

Commisioner Henares said the eLounge will improve the efficiency of making tax payments by harnessing information and communications technology.

 

Henares said their action will encourage taxpayers to use BIR eServices more and speed up tax transactions. -Rappler.com