As the Senate prepares legislative measures for the upcoming 20th Congress, Senator Win Gatchalian emphasized that making tax compliance simpler and more efficient was among his office’s most significant achievements in the 19th Congress.

The Ease of Paying Tax (EOPT) law, enacted in January 2024, streamlines the process for taxpayers to comply with their tax obligations. “Pinasimple natin ang proseso ng pagbabayad ng buwis upang mas mapalakas din ang tax compliance ng ating mga kababayan at mapataas ang kita ng gobyerno,” said Gatchalian, principal author and sponsor of Republic Act 11976 or the EOPT Act.

The law introduced the file-and-pay-anywhere system, allowing most of the tax processes to be accomplished through online channels.  It also mandated a shift to an invoice system to improve the registration process and accelerate the processing of value-added tax (VAT) refunds.

“Inaasahan natin na makakamit ng gobyerno ang layunin nitong makakolekta ng mas maraming buwis para tustusan ang malalaking proyekto ng gobyerno kahit na walang ipinapataw na bagong buwis,” said Gatchalian, chairperson of the Ways and Means Committee.