Hotels, restaurants urged to declare income from papal visit

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has called on hotels, pension houses and restaurants in Manila that earned much during Pope Francis’ visit to heed the pontiff’s call to live honestly by truthfully declaring their income.

The BIR Manila office reminded these establishments as the tax collection agency starts its audit.

Tens of thousands of people trooped to Manila to catch a fleeting glimpse of Pope Francis. Hotels along Roxas Boulevard near most of the venues of the papal visit, were mostly sold out even if they charged significantly higher than usual rates.

“To quote what the pope said during his visit in our country that honesty, integrity and the Gospel have to effect change ‘in a society which has grown comfortable with social exclusion, polarization and scandalous inequality and it is now more than ever necessary that political leaders be outstanding for honesty, integrity and commitment to the common good. In this way, they will help preserve the rich human and natural resources with which God has blessed this country’,” the BIR said in a notice published in The STAR yesterday.

The BIR Manila office will check and monitor books of accounts, receipts and other documents of business establishments that were taxmapped on Jan. 13 and 14, before the arrival of Pope Francis in the Philippines.

The move is in line with the BIR’s continuing campaign for enhanced voluntary tax compliance of all taxpayers.

“The program is only one among the many being undertaken by the region to augment its tax collection goal in the amount of P48.17 billion as mandated,” the BIR said.

The figure accounts for more than a quarter of the BIR’s total revenue goal of P1.703 trillion for 2015.

This year’s collection goal by the BIR is slightly lower than the original target of P1.72 trillion after taking into account the expected P16.9 billion in losses from the higher exemption of workers’ de minimis benefits from income tax.

The BIR is hopeful it could hit its targets this year through its aggressive campaign to run after tax evaders.