THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) will prioritize maximizing revenues by strengthening tax enforcement to plug leakages, while pursuing reforms to modernize and professionalize tax administration under its new leadership.
Newly appointed Internal Revenue Commissioner Charlito Martin R. Mendoza told BusinessMirror that his top priority up to year-end is maximizing revenues to close the gap between actual collections and the target.
‘I am fully committed to ensuring that the BIR continues to modernize and deliver efficient, transparent, and service-oriented tax administration,’ Mendoza said.
This year, the BIR aims to collect P3.219 trillion, higher by 13.02 percent than last year’s target of P2.848 trillion. The BIR will contribute 71 percent of the government’s P4.520-trillion full-year revenue target.
About P2.322 trillion, or 72.13 percent, of the BIR’s full-year target has been raised as of the end of September.
With the Christmas season expected to drive up consumer spending, Mendoza said the BIR is closely monitoring sales receipts and tax collections from major consumer goods, as well as from vice and petroleum products.
Meanwhile, the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation, Inc. (SEIPI) said Mendoza’s leadership will ‘inspire confidence’ among stakeholders, particularly in the semiconductor and electronics sector.
In a statement on Thursday, SEIPI said it recognizes the ‘significant role’ Mendoza will play in advancing a revenue system that is ‘transparent, efficient, and responsive to the evolving needs of both the public and private sectors.’
The organization of foreign and Filipino electronics companies in the Philippines recognized the newly appointed BIR chief’s commitment to ‘good governance, digital modernization, and service excellence’ which the group said is expected to drive lasting reforms and inspire confidence among stakeholders, particularly in industries that contribute significantly to national growth such as the semiconductor and electronics sector.
As the new taxman, Mendoza’s marching orders to regional and district offices is to ‘collect, collect, collect.’
‘Our main goal will always be to collect taxes efficiently and fairly, because those funds sustain our national programs,’ Mendoza said.
To do this, Mendoza said the BIR must rebuild and reinforce public trust by advancing reforms in regulations, digitalization, education and client experience.
The bureau must also aggressively investigate and prosecute tax evasion and collect tax deficiencies. ‘These efforts must go hand in hand,’ Mendoza said.
‘At the Department of Finance [DOF], we have supported the improvements and reforms the BIR has implemented, and we will continue to build on those programs, especially in advancing digitalization and reforms for institutional efficiency,’ Mendoza added.
BIR ‘in good hands’
Meanwhile, Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto said the BIR is in ‘good hands’ after the leadership change in the country’s main tax-collecting agency.
‘I trust that under his leadership, the BIR will meet and even exceed our revenue targets. Above all, I trust that he will always keep the well-being of our taxpayers at the heart of all your efforts,’ Recto said.
Mendoza, who served as undersecretary for Revenue Operations since April 2024, led the DOF’s BRAVE campaign against smuggling and illicit trade, with digitalization at its core.
Under his leadership, the DOF surpassed its 2024 revenue target, collecting P4.42 trillion-equivalent to 16.7 percent of GDP, the highest in 27 years.
Before his appointment in DOF, Mendoza served as District Collector for the Bureau of Customs Port of Cebu from July 2019 to October 2022, where it achieved significant milestones in revenue collections and border protection.
Mendoza earned his Bachelor of Laws degree from San Beda University and ranked third in the 2004 Philippine Bar Exam.
He succeeds former BIR Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui Jr., who led the bureau since November 2022.
Lumagui’s key initiatives included the Online Registration and Update System (ORUS), a web-based platform for end-to-end registration and taxpayer information management, and the Run After Fake Transactions (RAFT) drive, which filed civil, criminal and administrative cases against those involved in ghost receipts.
He also intensified the BIR’s crackdown on illicit trade in excisable goods, such as cigarettes and vape products, to protect revenues and ensure fair competition.
SEIPI, meanwhile, also noted that Mendoza brings ‘extensive experience’ from his previous roles at the Bureau of Customs and DOF.
‘With a strong foundation in fiscal policy, public administration, and institutional reform coupled with his integrity and proven leadership, he is well-positioned to lead the Bureau of Internal Revenue during this crucial phase of the nation’s fiscal transformation,’ Seipi noted.
With this, Seipi expressed its full support for Mendoza.