The Department of Finance (DOF) has publicly asked Cavite Fourth District Rep. Francisco Barzaga to cease disseminating “fake news” regarding a supposed plan to increase the value-added tax (VAT) from 12 percent to 15 percent by 2026.
The DOF said in an advisory posted on social media that “there would be no additional tax or VAT to be imposed on taxpayers.”
“Let us not spread fake news,” the DOF advisory read, clarifying that reports of a planned VAT increase in 2026 are “not true.”
“There will be no additional or new tax imposed on the populace,” it said.
The DOF said the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) have sufficient capacity to raise funds through digitalization, stricter enforcement and plugging leakages within the tax system.
The DOF said it is boosting non-tax revenues by securing higher dividend contributions from government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) and through the privatization of government assets.
The agency confirmed that government funds are adequate, and collection performance is on track to finance the HEARTS agenda (Health, Education, Agriculture and Environment, Roads and Infrastructure, Technology, and Security and Social Protection) for every Filipino.
The DOF also called on elected officials to be responsible and “not be purveyor[s] of fake news.”
 refutes claims of a planned increase in the value-added tax (VAT) from 12 percent to 15 percent by 2026, publicly asking Cavite Fourth District Representative Francisco Barzaga to stop spreading "fake news."){kind=link}