Entertainment establishments now under BIR surveillance

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO— The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Revenue Region 4 (RR4) yesterday said that it has ordered massive surveillance activities on bars and entertainments in Angeles City.

BIR regional director Jethro Sabarriaga said that the operations were conducted in the Barangay Balibago area. This resulted in the closure of one bar for five days. The bar owner had paid and committed to settle taxes which prompted the BIR to allow the establishment to open for business.

The BIR had initially ordered the surveillance of four establishments, according to Sabarriaga, but the mission orders were later expanded to ten more establishments under surveillance.

Sabarriaga said that it is evident in their system that entertainment establishments have not been compliant in paying taxes.

Recently, RR4 closed down three business establishments in Tarlac province over the weekend as part of their “Oplan Kandado” program.

Sabarriaga added that “Oplan Kandado” is an initiative of the BIR that aims to intensify the Bureau’s enforcement operations through strict imposition of prescribed administrative sanctions for non-compliance with the basic tax requirements.

He added that “Oplan Kandado” aims to weed out companies that do not pay proper taxes and level the business playing field in favor of businesses who are compliant with tax laws.

The RR4 will also be doubling efforts in reaching out with the professional sector to further entice more professionals to file the correct taxes. Sabariaga stressed that they are now finishing on the surveillance of two doctors who are remiss in the payment of their taxes.