The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is considering expanding its one-time tax abatement programme to businesses with annual gross sales of ₱3 million to below ₱20 million, potentially extending relief beyond the smallest taxpayers.
BIR Commissioner Charlito Martin Mendoza said the proposed expansion would help smaller enterprises resolve outstanding tax cases. The existing programme, introduced in June, covers micro taxpayers with annual gross sales below ₱3 million. Qualified taxpayers with covered liabilities of up to ₱80,000 for a taxable year may settle them through a ₱5,000 abatement fee, subject to conditions.
As of October 24, the BIR had received 17,101 applications and approved 15,050. The agency reported that 3,929 taxpayers had benefited, with ₱266.79 million in taxes and penalties abated.
The existing programme runs until December 31, 2026. However, the proposed extension to small taxpayers has not yet been implemented. Businesses outside the current eligibility criteria should await formal BIR guidance before assuming they qualify.
