REVENUE MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 74-2004 
Subject: Suspension of All Field Operations of the Bureau of Internal Revenue Effective December 16, 2004
To: All Internal Revenue Officers, Employees and Others Concerned
          In the spirit of Christmas and to enable business to fully attend to business
concerns during the Holiday Season, all field operations of the Bureau of Internal
Revenue relative to examinations and verifications of taxpayers’ book of accounts,
records and other transactions are hereby suspended from 16 December 2004 up to 09
January 2005. Thus, no field operations nor any form of business visitations in execution
of Letters of Authority/Audit Notices, Tax Verification Notices, Mission Orders, or any
written orders to audit and/or investigate taxpayers’ internal revenue tax liabilities shall
be issued except in the following cases:
1. Investigation of cases prescribing on or before 30 June 2005;
2. Processing and verification of estate tax returns, donor’s tax returns, capital gains tax returns and withholding tax returns on the sale of real property or shares of stocks together with the documentary stamp tax returns related thereto;
3. Examination and/or verification of internal revenue tax liabilities of taxpayers retiring from business;
4. Processing of claims for tax refunds or issuance of tax credit certificates;
5. Requests for investigation/reconsideration (protested tax cases);
6. Issuance and service of Letter Notices (LNs) to taxpayers, e.g. LNs issued under the RELIEF System, LNs to insurance companies for deficiency DST, etc.;
7. Audit of National Government Agencies (NGAs), Local Government Units (LGUs) and Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations (GOCCs) including subsidiaries and affiliates of GOCCs; and
8. Other matters/concerns where a deadline has been imposed such as, but not limited to, the agreement with the pawnshop industry provided under RMC No. 37-2004 and RMC No. 73-2004. Regional Directors and Revenue Officers are encouraged to visit and remind the pawnshops within their jurisdiction to avail of the agreement between the BIR and the Chamber of Pawnbrokers of the Phils. Inc. 
9. Other matters/concerns under orders of the Commissioner including assessments against Independent Power Producers, assessments against OBUFCDU of banks.
          In general, examiners and investigators shall make use of this period to do office work on their cases and to complete the report on those with already completed field work. Service of Assessment Notices, Warrants and Seizure Notices may however be effected upon clearance of the Commissioner/Regional Director. Most importantly, all efforts should be directed to ensure maximum collection in the remaining days of the year.
           All internal revenue officers and others concerned are enjoined to give this Circular as wide as publicity as possible.