GCash, e-wallet giant operated by Globe X-Change Inc. (GXI) of the Ayala family, has temporarily disabled tax payments through its app following a series of unsuccessful transactions on May 24, 2023.
In response, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) issued an advisory on June 2, 2023, urging taxpayers to utilize alternative electronic payment (ePAY) platforms to fulfill their tax obligations.
Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr., in the official advisory, disclosed that GXI had promptly notified the Land Bank of the Philippines about the significant number of failed BIR payments made through the GCash app. Consequently, GXI made the decision to disable the tax payment feature until the matter could be thoroughly investigated to identify the root cause of the incident.
To ensure a smooth tax payment process, Lumagui recommended taxpayers to avail themselves of alternative facilities such as the Taxpayer Software Provider (TPS) offered by Maya, a direct competitor of GCash, and MyEG.
Individuals holding accounts with Land Bank, as well as those using the PCHC Paygate or PESONet facility, including customers of RCBC, Robinsons Bank, Union Bank of the Philippines, Bank of Philippine Islands, Philippine Savings Bank, and Asia United Bank, were advised to utilize the LandBank Link.Biz Portal.
Furthermore, accountholders possessing Visa/Mastercard Credit Cards or BancNet ATM/Debit cards were encouraged to use the Development Bank of the Philippines Pay Tax Online platform.
UnionBank account holders could opt for the UnionBank Online Portal or UPAY via the InstaPay facility to settle their tax obligations conveniently.
