Smart, BIR sign e-broadcasting service agreement

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) signed yesterday a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to provide electronic broadcasting services (e-broadcasting) for corporate taxpayers through text messaging and the Internet.

The venture will provide corporate taxpayers timely confirmation of payments received by accredited agent banks (AAB) and ensure that what they have paid goes directly to the national treasury.

The partnership with Smart will also support text inquiry services that will aid the BIR in its various tax information and dissemination campaigns.

Under the MOA, Smart, which has over 10 million subscribers as of last June, has developed a software application that will provide the BIR with a connection to Smart’s GSM facilities to support text messaging services.

Sun Microsystems was appointed by Smart as the application developer to provide an interface with the BIR systems. The arrangement was also made possible with the cooperation with the Bankers Association of the Phils. (BAP).

The integration of the applications has already been completed by Smart and Sun Microsystems. The service is expected to be launched this month. Once operational, text message notifications will be sent automatically to the mobile phones of designated officers of taxpayer corporations upon receipts of various tax payments such as income tax, value added tax (VAT) and transfer taxes.

Internal Revenue Commissioner Guillermo Parayno said the arrangement with Smart is part of the bureau’s efforts to improve its services for taxpayers using electronic and mobile technologies. – Pia Lee-Brago