Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan filed Senate Bill No. 1740, seeking to extend the period of estate tax amnesty availment to December 31, 2028 to help Filipino families settle their estate tax obligations without hefty penalties associated with not being able to pay the estate taxes within the deadline. The proposed measure, filed on Monday, February 2, seeks to amend Republic Act No. 11213, as amended by RA Nos. 11569 and 11956. 

Pangilinan aims to extend the estate tax amnesty, which expired on June 14, 2025, to December 31, 2028 for the estate of decedents who died on or before December 31, 2024 and whose estate taxes have remained unpaid or have accrued as of December 31, 2024. 

The measure said that the executor or administrator, legal heirs, transferees, or beneficiaries of the estate who want to avail of the amnesty must file either electronically or manually a sworn Estate Tax Amnesty Return by December 31, 2028. 

In the bill’s explanatory note, the senator recognized the ”persistent challenges” faced by many Filipino families in settling their estate tax obligations and formalizing ownership of inherited properties. 

Further, “Despite prior extensions, many Filipinos continue to struggle with compliance due to practical, economic, and external factors. These include financial hardships, documentation gaps in long-unsettled estates, and complex probate requirements that demand legal expertise and resources often beyond the reach for middle- and low-income families.”

The proposed measure will free Filipino families from civil, criminal, and administrative liabilities, as well as allow installment payments of the estate taxes for up to two years without civil penalty and interest. 

“This measure addresses longstanding barriers to timely settlement of estates. By providing a clear, fair, and flexible pathway to compliance, the bill supports the orderly transfer of ownership and promotes the regularization of property rights,” Pangilinan added.