Philippines looks to tax online businesses as it searches for revenue

The Philippine tax agency has ordered all online businesses to register, declare past transactions, and pay correct taxes by end-July. — Liana Smith Bautista/Pixabay

The booming Internet economy has caught the eye of Philippine authorities as the nation hunts for revenue amid the pandemic.

The Philippine tax agency has ordered all online businesses to register, declare past transactions, and pay correct taxes by end-July, according to a June 1 circular released June 10. Filipinos went to the Internet in droves to sell goods from food to masks as the quarantine that started in March devastated jobs and hurt incomes.