TASK Force Tourist Haven of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) regional office has been activated to monitor business establishments commonly visited by tourists during the Sinulog festivities.
BIR-13 legal chief Atty. Neri Yu said the task force, which was created in 2013, will ensure that the businesses will pay the right amount of taxes for January.
Yu said tax remittance is expected to increase in January due to the influx of tourists in Cebu, but some establishments frequently visited by these tourists continue to remit almost the same taxes in February and in the succeeding months.
“Affected establishments include bars, restaurants, hotels, gift shops, travel agencies and other similar establishments that serve tourists during the Sinulog season,” he said.
Around 10 examiners from the BIR will conduct monitoring and auditing of randomly selected establishments.
Establishments that stand to benefit from the Sinulog festivities are highly encouraged to comply with the correct taxes, said regional director Hermeno Palamine.
Meanwhile, the agency is in talks with the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) on its possible participation in the CCCI’s float during the Sinulog Grand Parade on January 17.
Palamine said this is a show of good will by both the agency and the chamber.