Accredited donations from abroad duty-exempt, BIR reiterates

MANILA, Philippines - Amid an influx of donations from abroad, the government reiterated yesterday that goods flown in would not be subject to tax and import duties provided they are coursed through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) or accredited private foundations.

Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares cited Republic Act 10121, otherwise known as  the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, which states that  donations to the National Disaster Relief and Rehabilitation Management Council are duty-exempt.

However, certain items such as medicine, telecommunications equipment and agricultural products shall be  subject to clearance by regulatory agencies like the Food and Drug Administration, the National Telecommunications Commission, and the Department of Agriculture.

Bureau of Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon, for his part, said the exemption is granted through a documentation and recording process.

Biazon said BOC shall also record all items imported into the Philippines.

International aid is pouring in for the Philippines in addition to the millions of dollars pledged by private individuals, businessmen, corporations and the government given the massive damage brought about by Super Typhoon Yolanda.

Typhoon survivors are desperately scouring for food, clean water and shelter.

The DSWD, Department of Finance and the BOC  have formed one-stop shops to ensure speedy processing of documents and requests concerning relief goods and other aid-related equipment donated by the international community.

These one-stop shops are  located at entry points in Tacloban and Cebu, as well as at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA),

To facilitate the immediate release of the relief goods, the donor must present a letter of intent to donate to the DSWD or any DSWD-registered relief organization, a bill of lading or airway bill, and a packing list or commercial invoice.

The  one-stop shops  recently processed over 23,000 kilos of relief goods from the German government consigned by World Vision, as well as goods brought in by Plan International. The European Union Civil Protection Mechanism has likewise been activated to ensure coordinated relief efforts for the Philippines, with several member-states sending relief teams and goods, such as the government of France that sent over 10 tons of humanitarian goods via Cebu.