BIR to require doctors, lawyers to post rates

MANILA, Philippines --A Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) circular that will require professionals to post their service fees in their offices will soon be issued.

Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Jacinto-Henares said that the new policy covers doctors and lawyers, some of whom were previously criticized for allegedly cheating on their taxes.

“We will issue (an Revenue Memorandum Circular) soon. We will require doctors to post their rate in the clinic, all professionals to post their rates,” she told reporters in an interview.

Henares said that some doctors also ask for different rates for the same service without patients knowing about it.

“That’s why we will require them to post their rates to give the public options to choose who to go to for their medical service needs,” she said.

Only 22 percent of the 1.8 million professionals registered as self-employed were able to file their income tax returns in 2012.

Henares said in a previous report that the agency is tapping the Professional Regulation Commission to implement stricter rules on professionals' filing and paying of taxes.

She also said that the bureau continues its campaign to broaden the country's tax base starting with professionals and those registered as self-employed.

BIR, moreover, has missed its collection target the past couple of months, and may fall short of its P1.253-trillion target this year.

The agency’s revenues amounted to about P693 billion from January to July this year. - Camille Diola