DOLE chief Tolentino says P85 wage hike will prevail despite TRO
Other Relevant Tax Updates:
- TAX & BUSINESS-RELATED NEWS [JULY 27-AUGUST 4]
- BIR PRESCRIBES POLICIES, GUIDELINES & PROCEDURES FOR THE AVAILMENT OF A ONE-TIME ABATEMENT OF TAXES AND/OR PENALTIES FOR MICRO TAXPAYERS
- SEC IMPLEMENTS PAPERLESS FILING FOR SELECT AMENDMENT APPLICATIONS VIA eAMEND PORTAL
- COURT OF TAX APPEALS CASE
I. TAX & BUSINESS-RELATED NEWS [JULY 27-AUGUST 4]
1. Long weekends to look forward to in August 2026
2. Mark Villar files bill exempting MSMEs from 2% tax on gross income
3. PH’s road to high income status begins
4. DOLE chief Tolentino says P85 wage hike will prevail despite TRO
5. P800K worth of Davao fresh produce shipped to Saudi Arabia — DA
Long weekends to look forward to in August 2026 [GMA Lifestyle, August 3, 2026]
Heads up! It’s time to plan your travel and rest days for August 2026 in line with the upcoming long weekends.
Mark Villar files bill exempting MSMEs from 2% tax on gross income [Inquirer.Net, August 3, 2026]
Senate Bill No. 2362, once passed and signed into law, will provide much-needed tax relief to businesses that serve as significant drivers of the country’s economy, with data pointing out that the sector contributed an estimated 35.7 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP), he said.
PH’s road to high income status begins [ABS-CBN News, August 3, 2026]
World Bank said each country has a different journey when it comes to climbing the income ladder. It said Russia took less than 10 years from the time it entered upper-middle income to move up to high income. Costa Rica took almost 25 years from upper-middle income to high income.
https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/8/3/ph-s-road-to-high-income-status-begins-2309
DOLE chief Tolentino says P85 wage hike will prevail despite TRO [GMA News Online, August 2, 2026]
Earlier, Tolentino clarified that employers must honor and pay wage increases already earned by workers before the TRO took effect.
P800K worth of Davao fresh produce shipped to Saudi Arabia — DA [GMA News Online, August 2, 2026]
The shipment, which departed on July 24, consisted of 1,350 boxes of Cardava bananas, 50 boxes of sweet potatoes, and 50 boxes of jicama (locally known as singkamas), the DA said.
II.BIR PRESCRIBES POLICIES, GUIDELINES & PROCEDURES FOR THE AVAILMENT OF A ONE-TIME ABATEMENT OF TAXES AND/OR PENALTIES FOR MICRO TAXPAYERS
Revenue Memorandum Order (RMO) No. 19-2026, issued on July 23, 2026, prescribes policies, guidelines, and procedures in the processing of applications for the availment of a one-time abatement of taxes and/or penalties for Micro Taxpayers pursuant to Revenue Regulations (RR) No. 004-2026. The Order provides the documentary requirements, application procedures, and processing guidelines for taxpayers with delinquent accounts, tax assessments, open stop-filer cases, open case penalties, and compromise penalties. Qualified micro taxpayers with basic tax or penalties not exceeding ₱80,000 per taxable year may avail of the program until December 31, 2026, upon submission of the One-Time Abatement for Micro Taxpayers Application Form (BIR Form No. 2121), the required supporting documents, and payment of the ₱5,000 abatement fee through BIR Form No. 0605. The Revenue District Office (RDO) is responsible for processing applications and issuing the Certificate of Availment, while the appropriate BIR offices shall issue the Certificate of Existence of Outstanding Tax Liability (CEOTL), cancel eligible assessments, lift applicable collection remedies, update taxpayer records, and submit the required reports.
If you wish to get a copy of complete text of CTA cases, please e-mail us at taxseminars@dmdcpa.com.ph.
III. SEC IMPLEMENTS PAPERLESS FILING FOR SELECT AMENDMENT APPLICATIONS VIA eAMEND PORTAL
SEC Memorandum Circular No. 21, Series of 2026, posted on July 20, 2026, provides guidelines on the implementation of paperless filing for select amendment applications through the Electronic Application for Modification of Entity Data (eAMEND) Portal. Specifically, it establishes an optional paperless processing lane, under Simple Processing, for select amendment applications. Paperless filing will cover amendments to both the Articles of Incorporation and By-laws. Other amendments remain subject to hard copy submission. All uploaded documents are deemed official filings, with originals to be safeguarded by the Corporate Secretary. Notwithstanding the electronic submission, the Amendment Form and documentary requirements remain subject to notarization. Approved applications are subject to random SEC post-evaluation and inspection to verify authenticity and compliance. Violations, including misrepresentation, falsified documents, or failure to present originals, may result in revocation of amendments, disqualification from paperless filing, administrative sanctions, and civil or criminal liability.
IV. CTA CASE
[ABSENCE OF A LETTER OF AUTHORITY (LOA) RENDERS A BIR TAX ASSESSMENT VOID] [A LETTER NOTICE (LN) CANNOT SUBSTITUTE FOR AN LOA IN TAX ASSESSMENTS]
The case involves consolidated Petitions for Review before the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) En Banc filed by both the Commissioner of Internal Revenue (CIR) and Bukidnon II Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BUSECO). The CIR argued that a Letter of Authority (LOA) was not required because the assessment was conducted through a “no-contact audit” system based on computerized matching of VAT data, maintaining that the Letter Notice (LN) sufficiently authorized the investigation and assessment. On the other hand, BUSECO countered that a valid LOA is required before any audit or examination may be conducted, and that an LN cannot substitute for an LOA. Further, BUSECO argued that the BIR’s letter denied its protest by stating that the assessment will become final and executory unless it executed a waiver of prescription, thereby rendering the assessment appealable to the CTA. In contrast, the CIR further countered that the letter was merely an informational communication, not a Final Decision on Disputed Assessment (FDDA), such that BUSECO should have awaited either an FDDA or the lapse of the prescribed period before seeking judicial relief. In ruling, the Court En Banc held that the assessment was void because no LOA was issued, emphasizing that an LN cannot replace the statutory and due process requirement of an LOA. The Court further held that the BIR letter effectively operated as a final action by the BIR because it stated that failure to execute the waiver would render the assessment final, executory and demandable. Thus, the Court found it proper for judicial remedy with the CTA. Consequently, BUSECO’s Petition for Review was PARTIALLY GRANTED affirming the cancellation of 2012 assessment and reversed the dismissal of BUSECO’s 2014 case. [COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE VS. BUKIDNON II ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC. (BUSECO), CTA EN BANC CASE NO. 2997, BUKIDNON II ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC. (BUSECO) VS. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, CTA EN BANC CASE NO. 3013, JULY 7, 2026]
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