Since I transferred to my new work in Makati almost a year ago, I have not updated my registered RDO address. Previously, this was being done by the HR/Finance departments of where you work. I was surprised when I was giving my 2316 form (certificate of tax withheld) from my previous employer to my new HR and was informed that they no longer do this on behalf of employees. BIR transactions are to be done by employees themselves.
I thought the only thing I would have to worry about is the payment and filing of income tax return annually. This would be easy as I can just pay through any authorized agent bank. I already did this last April.
Unfortunately, I was told that I still have to process an RDO transfer, from my previous employer's registered RDO in Cavite to the new employer in Makati. What do I have to do? Very simple, just fill out a 1905 form (at least 2 copies), go to your previous RDO in Cavite, have it stamped and you're done! Well it would have been more convenient if I can just fax it and then have it stamped and let them fax it back to me. I really think this is feasible but whoever I ask from the BIR will simply say just go to your previous RDO.
I asked our HR officer if it was really the only option (do it in person) and said yes that is the only option that the BIR officer told her. I also emailed the BIR Contact center and they gave me the same answer, even mentioning the Memorandum order about the process. Well I was pleasantly surprised that they even bothered answering (2 months later) but at least it's better late than never.
So that meant I will have to waste a whole day travelling back and forth to Cavite just to get a stamp (very efficient and cost-effective, tsk tsk). Arrived at RDO 54 around 12:30 PM which is a bad time coz it's lunch break. Worse, the transaction for RDO transfer is at another office at the left side of the BIR bldg (not at the main entrance) which is locked from 12-1pm. So we were all just waiting outside under the scorching sun! Even if you're staying under the shade the heat will get to you. I feel like cursing when this happens because I feel we don't deserve this as taxpayers. They finally opened the door a few minutes before 1pm (which is a good thing, I was actually preparing myself to think they might open it around 1:30pm instead).
There was a receiving area inside and the office is fully airconditioned (good thing). I just deduced that they did not want to be bothered when sleeping during lunch that is why they lock it out. They should not even be allowed to sleep in my opinion. I rarely do this at work unless I am not feeling well. We do not even see private businesses such as banks shut out people just because it is lunch break.
The BIR should do something about this problem if they want people to voluntarily pay taxes. As a service-oriented government agency, they should be the one adjusting and not the other way around. Why don't they shift people's lunch break, some taking it 11-12am and others 12-1pm so that the people are still being entertained at any time?
They don't even realize that some of us have travelled for hours to process these transactions that ideally should have been done by BIR employees themselves. The mere fact that it is obvious where my income tax payments are going is already an indication that I have changed employers.
I never run out of things to complain about the government. I hate complaining but sometimes you cannot help it when you have to deal with their inefficiencies all the time.
Anyway, finally we're in and I immediately looked for a queueing number. The 1st one was around 90 and I got 95 (not bad). The queue was for the "officer of the day". There was another line (traditional pila) for another lady who is taking LTO? transactions (not really sure what that is). After quite some time, I noticed that no number is still being called yet. I was seated at the front and a woman was asking so many questions to the "officer of the day" and she was not even #90 (in fact she had #105, wtf?!). A guy beside me was getting furious and already started to shout what's the point of the number system if it is not being followed? The "officer of the day" then finished her conversation with #105 and started to call #90.
Thirty minutes later it was still #92 or 93. I noticed the lines for "LTO" were dwindling and she was fast, she had probably entertained already about 20 people compared to "officer of the day" who has only entertained about 2 or 3. Tried my luck with "LTO" lady since all I needed was a stamp. Told her it's just for RDO transfer, she took my forms, asked several other people for their transactions, went to the computer to check records, stamped my forms and got it in probably less than 5 mins. She actually accommodated about 3-5 people within that 5 mins. Now that is what I call efficient. For "officer of the day" I just returned my number. Should not have bothered with her in the 1st place.
Guess what? I even overheard LTO lady tell a guy (whose previous RDO was in Davao) to just fax the RDO for his transfer form. Pwede naman pala e! She even provided the tel/fax numbers of his RDO to him. She's really accommodating and fast and I commend her for that. Too bad I did not see her name.
My hunch is that BIR only processes RDO transfer through fax for extreme cases. But given that they are all already computerized, they should actually allow transactions to be done at any RDO no matter where you are registered.
I had to spend the next half of my day in a bus on my way back home to QC. A whole day's pay just to transfer my RDO. Now all I need to do next is update my marital status and last name. That would be for another day at my new RDO in Makati. I'll have to do that after at least 5 working days when the transfer would take effect.
I thought the only thing I would have to worry about is the payment and filing of income tax return annually. This would be easy as I can just pay through any authorized agent bank. I already did this last April.
Unfortunately, I was told that I still have to process an RDO transfer, from my previous employer's registered RDO in Cavite to the new employer in Makati. What do I have to do? Very simple, just fill out a 1905 form (at least 2 copies), go to your previous RDO in Cavite, have it stamped and you're done! Well it would have been more convenient if I can just fax it and then have it stamped and let them fax it back to me. I really think this is feasible but whoever I ask from the BIR will simply say just go to your previous RDO.
I asked our HR officer if it was really the only option (do it in person) and said yes that is the only option that the BIR officer told her. I also emailed the BIR Contact center
So that meant I will have to waste a whole day travelling back and forth to Cavite just to get a stamp (very efficient and cost-effective, tsk tsk). Arrived at RDO 54 around 12:30 PM which is a bad time coz it's lunch break. Worse, the transaction for RDO transfer is at another office at the left side of the BIR bldg (not at the main entrance) which is locked from 12-1pm. So we were all just waiting outside under the scorching sun! Even if you're staying under the shade the heat will get to you. I feel like cursing when this happens because I feel we don't deserve this as taxpayers. They finally opened the door a few minutes before 1pm (which is a good thing, I was actually preparing myself to think they might open it around 1:30pm instead).
There was a receiving area inside and the office is fully airconditioned (good thing). I just deduced that they did not want to be bothered when sleeping during lunch that is why they lock it out. They should not even be allowed to sleep in my opinion. I rarely do this at work unless I am not feeling well. We do not even see private businesses such as banks shut out people just because it is lunch break.
The BIR should do something about this problem if they want people to voluntarily pay taxes. As a service-oriented government agency, they should be the one adjusting and not the other way around. Why don't they shift people's lunch break, some taking it 11-12am and others 12-1pm so that the people are still being entertained at any time?
They don't even realize that some of us have travelled for hours to process these transactions that ideally should have been done by BIR employees themselves. The mere fact that it is obvious where my income tax payments are going is already an indication that I have changed employers.
I never run out of things to complain about the government. I hate complaining but sometimes you cannot help it when you have to deal with their inefficiencies all the time.
Anyway, finally we're in and I immediately looked for a queueing number. The 1st one was around 90 and I got 95 (not bad). The queue was for the "officer of the day". There was another line (traditional pila) for another lady who is taking LTO? transactions (not really sure what that is). After quite some time, I noticed that no number is still being called yet. I was seated at the front and a woman was asking so many questions to the "officer of the day" and she was not even #90 (in fact she had #105, wtf?!). A guy beside me was getting furious and already started to shout what's the point of the number system if it is not being followed? The "officer of the day" then finished her conversation with #105 and started to call #90.
Thirty minutes later it was still #92 or 93. I noticed the lines for "LTO" were dwindling and she was fast, she had probably entertained already about 20 people compared to "officer of the day" who has only entertained about 2 or 3. Tried my luck with "LTO" lady since all I needed was a stamp. Told her it's just for RDO transfer, she took my forms, asked several other people for their transactions, went to the computer to check records, stamped my forms and got it in probably less than 5 mins. She actually accommodated about 3-5 people within that 5 mins. Now that is what I call efficient. For "officer of the day" I just returned my number. Should not have bothered with her in the 1st place.
Guess what? I even overheard LTO lady tell a guy (whose previous RDO was in Davao) to just fax the RDO for his transfer form. Pwede naman pala e! She even provided the tel/fax numbers of his RDO to him. She's really accommodating and fast and I commend her for that. Too bad I did not see her name.
My hunch is that BIR only processes RDO transfer through fax for extreme cases. But given that they are all already computerized, they should actually allow transactions to be done at any RDO no matter where you are registered.
I had to spend the next half of my day in a bus on my way back home to QC. A whole day's pay just to transfer my RDO. Now all I need to do next is update my marital status and last name. That would be for another day at my new RDO in Makati. I'll have to do that after at least 5 working days when the transfer would take effect.
