President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed Charlito Mendoza as commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), replacing Romeo Lumagui, Malacañang confirmed on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, acting Justice Secretary Frederick Vida on Thursday confirmed his appointment as the Secretary of the Department of Justice (DOJ), a post vacated by now Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla
The appointment paper, signed by the President, directs Mendoza to assume office and perform the duties of BIR commissioner upon taking his oath and submitting copies to the Office of the President and the Civil Service Commission.
Mendoza’s appointment marks another key change within the Department of Finance as the administration continues to pursue fiscal reforms and enhance revenue collection efforts.
Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Dave Gomez also confirmed the changes in BIR, but did not specify the reason why Lumagui was removed as head of the agency.
Lumagui, who served as BIR chief since 2022, led the agency through various modernization and enforcement initiatives, targeting large-scale tax evasion and illicit trade.
Mendoza’s appointment comes at a time when the government faces growing fiscal challenges in the aftermath of recent natural disasters and ongoing recovery efforts.
As BIR commissioner, Mendoza will oversee one of the country’s largest revenue-generating agencies, responsible for generating over 70 percent of total government income.
Vida made the announcement during his speech at the 89th founding anniversary celebration of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Thursday morning.
“Nagsimula ang programa OIC ako, kalagitnaan ng programa, Secretary na ako (When the program started, I was OIC (officer-in-charge). Halfway through, I am already the Secretary),” he said.
The DOJ later released the appointment paper of Vida from Malacañang, indicating his designation as “acting secretary.” Vida previously served in various leadership roles in Cavite before joining the DOJ in 2023.
He rose through the ranks, from Assistant Secretary to Undersecretary, and to OIC last month, following Remulla’s designation as Ombudsman.
