PLDT, Smart support Department of Finance pilot on e-invoicing, expand digital billing

PLDT and Smart Communications, Inc. support the push of the Department of Finance for the mandatory issuance of electronic invoicing system (EIS), supporting the Group’s Enterprise customers covered by the expanded digital or paperless billing program.  

To reduce Value Added Tax (VAT) tax fraud and simplify transactions for taxpayers, electronic invoice (e-invoice) or electronic receipt (e-receipt) issuance became mandatory in the Philippines when the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act (TRAIN) law took effect in 2018. 

Under the TRAIN law, taxpayers engaged in the export of goods or services, e-commerce and those considered large taxpayers, are required to issue e-invoices or e-receipts for their transactions within five years from the law’s effectivity, or on or before January 1, 2023.  

Ahead of the mandatory implementation next year, PLDT and Smart, classified as large taxpayers by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), were chosen to take part in the pilot implementation of the EIS. By July 2022, BIR requires the country’s 100 large taxpayers to launch e-invoicing.  

“The PLDT group supports the government’s efforts to improve the country’s tax collection and administration. As responsible corporate citizens helping drive the government’s digitalization, we piloted the issuance of e-invoices and e-receipts, in fulfillment of our mandate under the law. This complements the paperless billing program we are implementing for our Enterprise customers,” said Attorney Ma. Criselda Guhit, First Vice President of PLDT’s Tax Management and Advocacy Sector.   

Starting April, Enterprise customers of PLDT and Smart may be able to view their statements of account through online channels, as the PLDT group shifts to paperless billing. This bolsters the earlier implementation of the same arrangement for the group’s wireless subscribers and home broadband customers.    

The digital billing program is aligned with the PLDT group’s aim to improve customer experience by ensuring timely and accurate billing and to protect data privacy, and to streamline processes in its group-wide pivot to digital transformation. It also reinforces the Group’s commitment to help the country achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal No. 12 on sustainable consumption and production.  

Learn more about PLDT and Smart’s paperless billing program and how to access your bills by calling PLDT Home: 171; PLDT Enterprise: 177; Smart: *888; Smart Enterprise: #888. You may also visit www.pldtenterprise.com or www.pldthome.com. Smart customers may also log in to the GigaLife app for details.