With the deadline on the filing of income tax returns fast approaching, the Bureau of Internal Revenue asked all authorized agent bans (AABs) to extend their banking hours and to assign additional personnel during the April income tax filing season.

Commissioner Joel L. Tan-Torres issued the request in his bank bulletin 2010-11 to ensure that all taxpayers will be served.

The bulletin also contains policies and procedures that will take effect from April 5 to 15 as well as March 27 this year in lieu of April 3, which is Black Saturday.

Tan-Torres said all AABs have already been advised to extend their banking hours up to five in the afternoon from April 5 to 15 in response to the need of the taxpaying public during this filing season.

He also requested banks to accommodate tax payments from taxpayers who are already within the bank premises by the close of the extended banking hours for the said period. They will open on March 27 and April 10 to accept tax payments.

The AABs, according to Tan-Torres will accept two or more checks in payment for a single tax liability.
The commissioner stressed that AABs will ensure that the returns, payment forms and deposit slips are machine- validated and the details of payment are clearly imprinted in all the copies.

He also added that AABs should accept photocopies, electronic or computer-generated BIR Forms in lieu of the officially printed forms as long as they are originally filled up and signed by the taxpayer or duly authorized representative.

“We are confident that with our concerted efforts in raising revenues and with the cooperation of all taxpayers to pay taxes, the bureau will be able to reach its revenue target goal for this year," Tan-Torres said.