The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) chief in Negros Oriental and Siquijor appealed to taxpayers to file their income tax returns (ITR) before the extended deadline next month to avoid penalties.

Carlito Bohol, officer-in-charge of the BIR Revenue District Office (RDO) 79, announced during a press conference that President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has directed the extension of the deadline to May 15.

“I would just like to inform taxpayers that today is supposedly the deadline for the filing of our income tax, but because of the wisdom of our President, the deadline has been extended to May 15,” Bohol said in Filipino.

He urged the public to settle their accounts early to avoid a last-minute rush and long queues at the regional office.

While no penalties will be charged for filers immediately after April 15, Bohol warned that payments made after the new May 15 cutoff will incur legal fines.

Late filers typically face a 25-percent surcharge, interest, and a compromise payment fee as mandated by law.

Bohol, who assumed his post on April 13, highlighted that the BIR offers various electronic services to streamline the process. These include the e-Filing and Payment System (eFPS) and the electronic BIR forms (eBIRForms), which can be downloaded and presented to accredited agent banks.

Taxpayers can also utilize mobile payment platforms for various transactions.

To promote the ease of doing business, Bohol assured that the BIR is looking for ways to better serve clients, some of whom arrive at the Dumaguete office as early as 4:00 a.m. to secure priority numbers. (PNA)