To VAT or not to VAT

[OnMyWay]

5 minutes ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

You will notice that the question is something like:  How much did you purchase abroad.  Well if it meant for foreigners you would have to add up everything you have spent in your lifetime.    So just common sense to me.

And permanent residents?  If it were only to be filled by Filipinos, does that mean I can buy 20 laptops overseas and bring with me next trip and sell them at a nice profit?

I / we may be getting this mixed up???  Formerly, we filled out an arrival card AND a customs declaration???  Now the e-arrival is replacing both forms?  His picture appears to be the start of the customs declaration section.  The old form does not appear to have the "Total Amount" box that you guys say you filled with zero, but I don't even know if I found the right form.

Here is the old paper customs declaration.  It clearly says ALL ARRIVING PASSENGERS must fill it out.  I don't see a box for total value.

[Dave Hounddriver]

3 hours ago, OnMyWay said:

I / we may be getting this mixed up?

True.  It would have been nice if the OP had included the whole document in the pic.  I forgot that common sense does not work well in the Philippines.

[Mike J]

10 hours ago, OnMyWay said:

That is good info for this topic.  Which carrier did it arrive on?  DHL, FEDEX, UPS????

The Amazon amount is a deposit, and I think you can get it back if customs does not ding you for all or part of it.

If I knew the rules on laptops, for certain, and the rule was "one per year duty free allowed", I certainly would consider getting one on Amazon.

This was years ago, 2015, and I do not recall the Philippine carrier that did the final delivery.   The vendor, according to Amazon order history, was "Amazon Export Sales LLC".  Shipping was shown as "Amazon Global Expedited Shipping".  The computer was held at the tariff office until the notarized statement was accomplished and sent to them via email.  I recall the process as being a bit tedious, with back and forth email, but also professional.  

[hk blues]

11 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

You will notice that the question is something like:  How much did you purchase abroad.  Well if it meant for foreigners you would have to add up everything you have spent in your lifetime.    So just common sense to me.

Purchase abroad and then brought into the Philippines, surely?  Are Filipinos expected to pay VAT on things they bought and consumed abroad?