BIR extends the deadline for the submission of the alphalist of employees with withheld taxes and updates tax report formats

21 February 2024
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has recently released the extended deadline for the submission of the alphalist of employees/payees who have been withheld taxes for the taxable year 2023.

The BIR has implemented a deadline extension for corporations to submit the completed ‘Alphabetical List of Employees/Payees from whom taxes are withheld’. The announcement was made through BIR’s Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) 25-2024, released on February 13, 2024. The RMC states that the new deadline would be thirty (30) days from a tax advisory’s date of posting on the BIR website which announces the availability of the updated Alpha Data Entry and Validation Module.  

The Tax Advisory  was published by the BIR on February 16, 2024. Pursuant to the RMC and Tax Advisory, the alphalist shall be submitted on or before March 18, 2024. 

It must be noted that during cases where the taxpayer’s alphalist was submitted using an outdated version of the data entry module, the said taxpayer must re-submit the said alphalist using the updated module.  

Required Annual Report Structures/format in the Philippines  

This circular was issued following the provisions given by BIR RMC 16-2024, which was the one that was initially highlighted using the updated version of the Alpha List Data Entry and Validation module. The latest RMC strictly states that those who possess their own extract program must follow the BIR’s attached revised file structures and naming conventions.  

The first attached file, “Annex A”, showcases the correct file structure for the following documents:  

  • Monthly Alphalist of Payees (MAP) –BIR Form No. 1600-VT and 1600 – PT  
  • Quarterly Alphalist of Payees (QAP) – BIR Form No. 1601EQ  
  • QAP – BIR Form No. 1601FQ  
  • QAP – BIR Form No. 1621  
  • Annual Alphalist of Payees – BIR Form No. 1604-C 

Here is a sample for the revised file structure of one of the tax documents (MAP):  

HEADER 

 Field Name  Type  Width  Format  Description 
ALPHA_TYPE  TEXT  HMAP Type of alpha list  
F_TYPE  TEXT  H1600VT or H1600 PT  Form Type Code  
TIN_WA TEXT  999999999 Withholding Agents (WA) TIN 
BRANCH CODE_WA TEXT  9999 Withholding Agents (WA) Branch Code 
REGISTERED_NAME  TEXT  50 X (50)  WA’s registered name  
RETRN_PERIOD  TEXT  MM/YYYY Return Period  
RDO_CODE_WA  TEXT  999 Withholding agents’ RDO Code 

You can find the full “Annex A” list by clicking the link HERE.  

Meanwhile, the second attached file, “Annex B”, reveals the standard file naming conventions for the following data validation modules:  

  • MAP – Forms 1600-VT/1600-PT 
  • QAP – Forms 1601-EQ/1601FQ  
  • QAP – Form 1621  
  • Annual Alphalist of Payees – Forms 1604-C, 1604F, and 1604E  

Here is a sample showcasing standard file naming conventions for MAP modules: 

MODULE  FORM TYPE FILE NAME  
MAP  1600VT/1600PT <TIN><BC><Return Period><Form TYPE>.DAT  

Where  

 TYPE  WIDTH FORMAT DESCRIPTION 
<TIN> Text 999999999 WA’s TIN 
<BC> Text 9999 WA’s Branch Code  
<Return Period> Date  MMYYYY Return Period  
<Form Type>  Text  1600VY 
1600PT 
Form Type  

You can find the full “Annex B” list by clicking the link HERE.  

 

Tax Services in the Philippines  

Keeping up to date with the constant changes and amendments to tax laws can become quite tedious to manage. At Forvis Mazars, we work closely with clients – offering solutions that simplify their compliance and professional advice that helps them navigate complex tax situations with confidence. 

Our professionals have deep experience in multiple areas of tax, providing businesses at all stages of their life cycle with specialist advice. Our expertise ranges from corporate and employment tax, transfer pricing and corporate structuring, national and international transactions, and assessing tax implications when setting up new operations overseas, among others.   

Our solutions include outsourced tax compliance, tax advisory and expert opinions, application for incentives, and handling BIR tax assessments and audits, among others.   

For more information on Forvis Mazars’ tax services in the Philippines, contact us.