Go urges DTI to support alternative trade platforms for trade
Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go on Friday urged the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to support alternative modes of trade as Filipinos who are affected by the coronavirus disease pandemic use different platforms to sell goods and essentials.
“According to the DTI, it is not illegal if it is a personal transaction. I am also encouraging the government to promote alternative modes of personal transactions to ease the burden of our fellow Filipinos as long as it is legal and beneficial to the people,” Go said in a statement.
“Let us make the guidelines clear to our countrymen so they will not be confused. Let us work together and support alternative ways of transactions to ease the burden brought by the crisis,” he added.
On 14 July, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez tagged online barter trade as illegal as this is not subject to taxes.
He mentioned that barter is “unusual” to hear in urban communities, adding that this system is only allowed in some areas in Mindanao citing Executive Order 64 which was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte in 2018.
Lopez, however, later issued a clarification and said online barter of goods is not illegal and will not be subject to taxes as long as the transaction is personal in nature.
Go expressed support to modern-day barter as long as the existing laws are followed.
He, then advised those who are conducting business transactions to register and follow regulations to avoid being penalized as any kind of business transaction, online or otherwise, must be registered and are subject to taxes under the law.
For barter done as a form of business, value-added taxes will be charged to businesses and individuals who engage in such practice.
“We have no problem with the business as long as it is legal. We will support that whether big business or small. What is important is we help the people and we follow the law,” stated the lawmaker.
Online barter communities sprouted one after the other amid the community general quarantine being implemented by the government to curb the spread of COVID-19.