CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA) — Revenue District Office (RDO) 98 expanded its eLounge service, aimed at providing taxpayers with better access to the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) growing range of e-services.
“Given the increasing number of BIR e-services developed to make tax compliance easier, the demand for the use of the BIR eLounges is also increasing. RDO 98 is proud to inform the public that we have five stations manned all the time with three personnel who are trained on the use of all BIR e-services,” said lawyer Amera A. Samad, Revenue Officer of RDO 98, during the Cagayan de Oro kickoff of the 2025 national tax campaign, February 17.
The BIR eLounge is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. but may be used beyond office hours depending on the taxpayer’s needs and approval of the Revenue District Officer. This flexibility aligns with the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018.
Samad emphasized that all transactions in the eLounge must be official, and the use of non-BIR websites like Facebook, Gmail, Instagram, or YouTube is strictly prohibited.
“All e-lounge users, BIR personnel, or clients are not allowed to access entertainment websites except sites related to BIR concerns. For example, one can access from our stations our official website to check or verify something,” she explained.
Samad said that the eLounge operates on a first-come, first-served basis so users should plan accordingly.
The e-Lounge is part of the BIR’s efforts to enhance taxpayer service and streamline the compliance process, reflecting the Bureau’s commitment to making tax-related transactions more accessible and convenient for the public. (APB/PIA-10)
