No Audit Program for businesses in Las Pinas

In a bid to increase tax collection, the Las Piñas city government will implement a “No audit program” to all business establishments in the city seeking renewal for their licenses and permits.

Las Piñas City Mayor Vergel Aguilar said the program is aimed to provide taxpayers with incentives to voluntarily declare and pay higher taxes at the same time plugging holes in the tax collection drive.

The move was made after the city council presided by Vice Mayor Luis Bustamante approved city ordinance No. 1017-10 “An ordinance granting an option of no audit for taxpayers to promote optimum tax compliance.”

Under the said program, taxpayers who qualify under the terms and conditions shall be exempted from audit and or investigation for taxable revenues for the renewal periods which commenced lat January 1 and every year after.

In addition, taxpayers who will avail of the program shall be entitled to the automatic release of their business permit and license without the necessity of presenting their Audited Financial Statement for the preceding year, Value Added Tax/Cedula for the preceding year and Breakdown of Sales per branch if business is consolidated.

The ordinance however specifically directed the city treasurer that before a business establishment is exempted from audit and or investigations, taxpayer’s business tax payment for the current tax year shall increase by 20% over the business tax paid for the preceding year and that taxpayer has no delinquent business tax.

Under the “No audit program”, the taxpayer shall be exempted in presenting any other document for the renewal of his business permit and license before any office or department of the city government. Section 5 of the said ordinance however clarified that exemption in presenting document “shall not be construed as a waiver of the performance of regulatory functions of an office or department of the city.” (END)