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Senators Joel Villanueva and Risa Hontiveros raises the issue of taxing online sellers and freelancers, appealing to the government that these entrepreneurs (small time) who have maximized the online space are trying to cope with the adverse impacts of COVID-19.
“Pasalamat po tayo at likas na madiskarte ang ating mga kababayan. Hindi na nga po natin nabigyan ng tulong ang karamihan, bubuwisan pa natin ‘yung mga nais maghanapbuhay nang marangal,” Villanueva said in a statement.
“Ganitong pagkakataon po dapat ang ibinibigay rin natin sa mga mamamayan natin, lalo na sa mga online sellers na nakikipagsapalaran ngayon,” he added.
The chair of the Senate committee on labor said the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) should go after the “big fish, not the small fry.”
“Alam po natin na kailangan ng ating gobyerno na kumulekta ng buwis. Unahin po natin ‘yung mga napatunayan nang atrasado sa pagbabayad ng buwis. Hanggang ngayon, hindi pa rin nababayaran ng mga POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators) ang utang nito na P50 bilyon na buwis sa atin. Sila ang dapat tinututukan ng BIR,” Villanueva said.
He further underscored that two weeks after the agency released a May 7 memorandum ordering the POGOs to settle their unpaid taxes before they can be allowed to resume operations, BIR Deputy Commissioner Arnel Guballa reportedly said that no POGO firms or service providers have come forward yet.
“Ang dami nang pagkakataon ang ibinibigay ng gobyerno sa mga POGO para ituwid ang kanilang operasyon. Malinaw po na winawaldas lang nila itong pagkakataon. Ganitong pagkakataon po dapat ang ibinibigay rin natin sa mga mamamayan natin, lalo na sa mga online sellers na nakikipagsapalaran ngayon,” Villanueva added.
Sen. Hontiveros also made the same appeal to collect POGOs’ unpaid obligations first.
“Imbes na online sellers, baka pwedeng singilin muna ang mga POGO na may P50 billion in unpaid taxes?” Hontiveros said in a statement.
“Hindi ‘yung dagdag-perwisyo pa sa sarili nating mga kababayan na kaunti na nga lang ang kita para pandagdag-gastos sa pamilya nila,” she added.
“Bakit ba ang luwag natin sa POGO pero ang lupit sa mga Pilipino? Kahit na may 50B pesos unpaid taxes sila, at kahit na di essential, pinayagan pa ring mag-operate sa ilalim ng ECQ. Mayroon din silang mass testing, at tayo wala,” she said.
“Pwede bang kapakanan ng mga Pinoy muna?” she added.
Responding to Hontiveros’ claims, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the government has been collecting unpaid taxes of POGOs.
“Now is the time to give them relief and support,” said Senator Francis Pangilinan who mentioned it is not the right time to place more burden on Filipinos’ shoulders.
While agreeing that taxing online sellers is ill-timed, Senator Sonny Angara, on the other hand, said these dues are well within the law.
“The timing is not the best given the difficulties experienced by our countrymen but these are not new taxes but just collection of taxes due under existing laws,” said Angara, chair of the Senate committee on finance.
“So if you ask a seller who has a store, he will say it’s only fair to have a level playing field since that seller pays the transaction taxes due. It should’ve been done earlier really,” he added.
Senator Imee Marcos, chair of the Senate committee on economic affairs, also shared the same sentiment.
She said that while e-businesses can be regulated and taxed by requiring them to secure a compliance trustmark from a third-party, the measure will have to be deferred in the meantime.
“The timing is not right. Let’s give time for the underground economy to flourish and help jumpstart the country’s economy. Else, they will continue to depend on government subsidy, two or three years maybe,” Marcos said.
Roque, nonetheless, said online sellers with net incomes of less than P250,000 a year do not need to pay taxes.
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