Section 40Sec./Art. 40

Section 245 of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended, is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Section 245. Specific Provisions to be Contained in Rules and Regulations. - The rules and regulations of the Bureau of Internal Revenue shall, among other things, contain provisions specifying, prescribing or defining:

x x x

(i) The manner in which tax returns, information and reports shall be prepared and reported and the tax collected and paid, as well as the conditions under which evidence of payment shall be furnished the taxpayer, and the preparation and publication of tax statistics, and publication of information required to be published pursuant to any law, rules, and regulations. For purposes of publication, the Bureau of Internal Revenue may make use of any electronic means of publication in the Official Gazette, or its official website;

(j) The manner in which internal revenue taxes, such as income tax, including withholding tax, estate and donor's taxes, value-added tax, other percentage taxes, excise taxes and documentary stamp taxes shall be paid, either electronically or manually, through the collection officers of the Bureau of Internal Revenue or through duly authorized agent banks which are hereby deputized to receive payments of such taxes and the returns, papers and statements that may be filed by the taxpayers in connection with the payment of the tax: Provided, however, That notwithstanding the other provisions of this Code prescribing the place of filing of returns and payment of taxes, the Commissioner may, by rules and regulations, require that the tax returns, papers and statements and taxes of large taxpayers be filed and paid, respectively, through any authorized agent banks, or with any Revenue District Office through Revenue Collection Officer or authorized tax software provider: Provided, further, That the Commissioner can exercise this power within six (6) years from the approval of Republic Act No. 7646 or the completion of its comprehensive computerization program, whichever comes earlier: Provided, finally, That separate venues for the Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao areas may be designated for the filing of tax returns and payment of taxes by said large taxpayers."