Comments on: The Great Book Blockade of 2009: Timeline and Readings (Victory edition!)

By: katsky

katsky — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 17:40:14 +0000

dear angela,

how can they receive the memo if there was no memo issued in the first place? the department order is still in effect. the dof did not issue anything to cancel it. but im wondering how come national bookstore can import books duty and tax free but the books are so overpriced.

i suggest angela if you want to save money file in dof yourself just like what dondi did but it will be more hassle for you since you live in clark area.

just curious angela, do you live inside customs freeport zone?

By: Angela

Angela — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:15:06 +0000

I don’t think the Customs officials at Clark International got the memo that the tax on books have been lifted. My online high school sent my textbooks via UPS. It should have arrived today (yesterday actually but it’s a holiday) so I called UPS to ask about the delay. I was told that Customs was “holding” it for inspection. Holding it for ransom, more like it. UPS called to inform me that I have to pay P3,470 for the taxes.

They sent me a computation:

Declared value: $450 (6 textbooks in all)
Description: Educational books

1. Customs Duty (At 1%) = P234
2. Value Added Tax = P2,986
3. Import Processing Fee = P250

Total: P3,470

The fact that it came from a school (it says clearly on the shipping label) and that the customs official put educ. books in the description should have clued them in that those are for personal use and not intended for resale.

Now they want me to pay P1250 just to file a tax exemption at Department of Finance.

Classes start tomorrow, September 1st, and I’m without textbooks.

Tried calling several Customs department and no can help me.

By: Kathlyn

Kathlyn — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 07:21:20 +0000

Does the exemption also apply to second-hand bookstores like Booksale?

By: Kathlyn

Kathlyn — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 07:18:45 +0000

Thanks for answering mlq! I’m relieved to know that bookstores won’t be affected but it’s still unfair for the common folk, darnnit. By the way, do you have any links to the official documents that say bookstores are exempt? I want to read that.

By: mlq3

mlq3 — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 05:34:14 +0000

theyre taxing books sent to ordinary people, the bookstores lobbied and have returned to enjoying exemptions. you have to go to department of finance to secure an exemption on a per-delivery basis, with no guarantee they will ok your application after you go through the red tape and spend as much on transpo and documents as on the tax they illegally want to collect.

By: Kathlyn

Kathlyn — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 04:05:28 +0000

Hi mlq! I heard from a friend that they’re taxing books again at the post office! Will bookstores be affected as well? Will there be no new stock unless they pay the damn tax> Will the price of books go up yet again?

By: customslittlehelper

customslittlehelper — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 05:26:19 +0000

@cheryl

why was he/she denied? kung kay dondi nga inde nmn texbooks. binigyan. bka mali yung apply nyang certificate. “duty and tax exemption certificate for import shipments” ang kuhain. inde exception ha.

By: Cheryl

Cheryl — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:03:55 +0000

I’m taking the CFA exam in June and my books are being held hostage at UPS. Got this email: Please be advise (sic) regarding your shipment from HK containing educational book, already arrived. However, due to assessed est. duties/taxes amounting to php1,612.00, has been held to Bureau of Customs for payment confirmation. Please advise when agree to pay charges so we can advance the payment to customs and process releasing, payment will be collected upon delivery of the goods.

Here’s the breakdown of charges:
Customs duty: P93
VAT: P1269
Import processing fee: P250

I was asked to apply for an exception from the DOF but my friend (who’s also taking the exam next year) did that last month and was denied. What can I do?

By: mlq3

mlq3 — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 02:59:06 +0000

That was illegal, Ryc.

By: Ryc

Ryc — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 23:38:44 +0000

I was charged P1,400 for books I ordered from Amazon.
The customs official said that they brought back the tax on imported books. BTW, this was at the QC post office.