BIR launches 2026 campaign following record collections

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) launched its 2026 National Tax Campaign Friday, centering its annual drive on a promise of improved public service in exchange for taxpayer compliance.

BIR Commissioner Charlito Martin Mendoza led the kickoff event at the Philippine International Convention Center, introducing the theme “Mahusay na Serbisyo, Katumbas ng Buwis Mo” (Excellent Service is the Equivalent of Your Tax). The campaign aims to align the agency’s revenue mobilization with a commitment to transparent and responsive governance.

The launch follows a strong fiscal performance in 2025 where the agency collected P3.105 trillion. The figure surpassed the bureau’s annual target, led by enhanced enforcement and a push toward modernized filing systems.

Significant revenue also flowed from the Estate Tax Amnesty program, which was extended until June 2025 under Republic Act No. 11956. Between January and June 2025, the agency collected P4.603 billion from 100,786 applicants who settled long-standing liabilities under simplified terms.

Digitalization remains the cornerstone of the agency’s reform agenda. In 2025, electronic payment collections accounted for 85 percent of total tax revenues.

New tools introduced for the 2026 cycle include an interactive digital tax calendar and a registration seal badge featuring QR codes to prevent fraud.

The agency also deployed a Letter of Authority (LOA) verifier through its chatbot, Revie. The tool allows taxpayers to confirm the authenticity of audit notices, a move intended to protect businesses from unauthorized investigations.

Finance Secretary Frederick Go attended the event to signal the Cabinet’s support for the bureau’s modernization. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also provided a video message, emphasizing that tax collection relies heavily on public trust.

“The BIR is in the business of revenue generation and its reform program must remain anchored on that singular goal—generating the resources needed to fund vital public services,” Marcos said.

He urged the bureau to make compliance easier and implementation “fair and firm.”

Mendoza told stakeholders that the agency’s goals are no longer measured solely by numerical targets but also by taxpayer satisfaction.

“We are assembled here to make a collective vow to extend great, faster and honest service to you, our taxpayers. Because BIR goals should not be expressed in BESF numbers alone. It should also be paired with client satisfaction,” Mendoza said.

The official 2026 campaign logo features a heart in the colors of the Philippine flag, symbolizing a partnership between the government and the private sector.

Agency officials said the imagery represents the shared responsibility of nation-building through voluntary compliance and professional tax administration.