As the April 15 filing deadline approaches, fintech firm OneCFO Group is drawing attention to a persistent hurdle among Filipino taxpayers: turning available tax information into clear, practical guidance.
For founder and chairman Jay Olos, the issue is not a lack of resources but the difficulty of applying them. “The real issue is not the absence of information, but how difficult it can be to turn that information into something clear and actionable,” he said, noting that highly technical language can discourage timely compliance.
The gap becomes more pronounced during peak filing season, when individuals, freelancers, and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) balance tax requirements with day-to-day operations. While accountants and tax professionals remain critical, access to immediate guidance is often limited when urgent questions arise.
To address this, the group has rolled out DocTax, a platform that blends artificial intelligence-powered tax assistance with access to verified professionals. The tool is designed to give users clearer initial answers, while routing more complex concerns to qualified experts.
Former Bureau of Internal Revenue commissioner Joel Tan-Torres said improving taxpayer understanding is essential to boosting compliance. “Tax systems work better when people understand them better,” he said, pointing to a recurring disconnect between theoretical knowledge and real-world application.
DocTax emphasized that its platform is not meant to replace accountants, but to serve as a more accessible entry point for taxpayers navigating compliance requirements. By simplifying tax guidance, the company said it aims to reduce hesitation and errors—particularly among MSMEs and individual filers facing time and resource constraints.
As the deadline nears, the firm said bridging the “clarity gap” could play a key role in improving filing outcomes, especially for those managing taxes without immediate professional support.
