U.S. Marine helps deliver relief goods to areas affected by Typhoon “Yolanda” on Friday (Nov. 15) at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City. US Agency for International Development (USAID) was managing relief assistance for the victims of Typhoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan). (MNS photo)
MANILA, Nov 18 (Mabuhay) – The Burea of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Monday clarified that no donor’s tax is imposed on cash donations from overseas.
“Kung pera from abroad, wala naman binubuwisan ang gobyerno. Kasi kung donation, ang batas ng ibang bansa ang iiral, kung may donor’s tax sila or wala. As far as the Philippines is concerned, cash donations from abroad, walang donor’s tax yun. Kung meron babawasan, bank charges yun at di napupunta sa gobyerno,” BIR chief Kim Henares said.
She added that there is no donor’s tax on local cash donations given to the government or accredited foundations. Donors can also deduct their donations from their income.
However, cash donations made to organizations that are not accredited with the Department of Social Welfare and Development and NDRRMC may be taxed.
“Kung nag-donate kayo sa isang hindi accredited (na organization), if beyon P100,000 ang donation niyo meron ho donor’s tax. Graduated yun. Up to P100,000 exempted naman yun,” Henares said.
“Yung kumakalat sa Facebook na sinasabi nag-donate sila sa GCASH or Pasa Load ng P3,000 eh nabasawan pa, hindi ho buwis yun, charges ho yun at dapat magtanong sila sa telco nila,” she added.
As for in-kind donations sent from abroad, the BIR chief reiterated that duty-exemption is given to those donations sent to DSWD, NDRRMC and other accredited relief organizations.
“Sa VAT, hindi sa gusto ko i-buwis pero nasa batas ito, yun dinonate sa DSWD at NDRRMC although may VAT yun, pero ang gobyerno ho ang nag-babayad,” she explained.
The Bureau of Customs has set up a One-Stop Shop to process importations of donated relief goods and equipment for the calamity-response operations. The one-stop shops, manned by officers from DSWD, Department of Finance, and other regulatory agencies, are located at the NAIA and entry points in Tacloban and Cebu.
Posts in social media went viral on Wednesday asking the Customs bureau to investigate the alleged taxing of donations from Germany.(MNS)