The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has ordered its field officers nationwide to seize unregistered cigarette names in a bid to curb rampant smuggling which has been causing the government to lose billions of pesos in taxes annually.
BIR Commissioner Caesar R. Dulay provided regional and district offices with the official list of cigarette brands with their corresponding producers and importers.
"Any product not included in the list shall be considered unauthorized subject to seizure in accordance with existing rules and regulations," Dulay stated in Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 118-2021.
Cigarette manufacturers have been complaining for years about huge revenue losses due to rampant distribution and sale of untaxed cigarettes, retailed mostly outside Metro Manila.
The RMC reflected product category, including those imported, for domestic and foreign consumptions as well as the names of heated tobacco and vapor product importers.
Dulay also instructed producers and importers to register their new products before launching them in the market.
"Newly registered products will be included in the updated list of products in the BIR website within 30 days from the date of registration, " he said.