BIR shuts down 322 stores, collects P1.86 billion back taxes

MANILA, Philippines — More than 300 stores nationwide were ordered closed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) for failure to pay the required taxes.

The BIR collected P1.86 billion in back taxes from January to  September by padlocking  322 business establishments due to their  failure to comply with  financial obligations, as well as for violating select provisions of the tax code and related laws.

In a report to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez,  Guballa said the BIR also instructed the  district offices to  use   the Taxpayer Registration System under the Internal Revenue Integrated System (IRIS)  to monitor the compliance of taxpayers.

According to Guballa, there are only 12 BIR district offices that have yet to enforce the new IRIS feature due to the lack of fiber optic capabilities.

Through the  system, BIR’s district offices may now capture, oversee and report taxpayer’s primary and secondary registration data, whether individual or non-individual, through a digital platform.

Guballa said the system also facilitates the update of registration information, generation and printing of certificate of registration, authority to print, tax clearance, as well as tax identification number ID card.

In 2020,  the BIR recovered P607.87 million worth of taxes from shutting down 209 firms under Oplan Kandado.

With the goal of compelling firms to comply with their financing obligations, Oplan Kandado also authorizes the BIR to suspend establishments found breaching tax laws.

The BIR also carries out the Run After Tax Evaders program, wherein the agency lodges cases before the Department of Justice and the Court of Tax Appeals to prosecute them for tax evasion.