BY JUN RAMIREZ
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The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has instructed manufacturers, importers, distributors of value-added tax (VAT) exempt prescription drugs to secure Authority to Import Goods (ATRIG) from the Intramuros revenue district office of the Manila revenue region.
BIR Commissioner Caesar Dulay issued the directive in Revenue Memorandum Order No. 23-2020 to simplify the process in getting the tax clearance.
The BIR had come out with a regulations exempting buyers of selected prescription medicines from paying the additional 12 percent VAT to effectively lower the cost.
The VAT exempt drugs were based on the list submitted by the Department of Health to the BIR.