Affirming that tax collection must be done “efficiently and fairly,” Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Charlito Martin R. Mendoza has vowed to modernize tax administration while pledging aggressive prosecution of tax evasion.

On Friday, Nov. 14, Mendoza, a former undersecretary at the Department of Finance (DOF), asserted that the BIR’s “main goal will always be to collect taxes efficiently and fairly,” noting that these funds are essential to sustain government programs.

Mendoza was appointed by President Marcos as his new chief tax collector on Wednesday, Nov. 12, replacing Romeo D. Lumagui, Jr. The appointment comes as the BIR, the government’s main tax agency, faces mounting pressure to meet its ambitious ₱3.219-trillion revenue collection target for 2025.

Data from the Bureau of the Treasury showed that the BIR collected ₱2.32 trillion in the first nine months of the year, a 10.88 percent jump year-on-year, but still 2.63 percent short of its target for the January-to-September period.

Lumagui had earlier admitted the ₱3.219-trillion full-year goal would be “quite difficult” to achieve. The BIR needs to collect about ₱897 billion by year-end to reach the goal.

Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto earlier expressed confidence in the new bureau chief, stating, “I trust that under [Mendoza’s] leadership, the BIR will meet and even exceed our revenue targets.” Recto lauded him as a “steady hand and reform-driven leader.”

Meanwhile, Mendoza outlined a dual strategy focusing on comprehensive administrative reforms and intensified enforcement.

The reform agenda, Mendoza said, is designed to “rebuild and reinforce public trust,” centering on four key pillars: regulations, continued digitalization, public education, and enhancing client experience. This push signals an accelerated commitment to modernization, a priority Mendoza supported while heading the DOF’s Revenue Operations Group since April 2024.

Mendoza pledged an aggressive stance against tax fraud, stating the agency will be “aggressively investigating and prosecuting tax evasion and collecting tax deficiencies.” He stressed that the twin efforts—reform and enforcement—“must go hand in hand” to ensure success.

Mendoza brings a strong track record of revenue generation and institutional efficiency. As DOF undersecretary, he worked closely with both the BIR and the Bureau of Customs (BoC).

Prior to the DOF, he served as district collector of the BOC Port of Cebu from 2019 to 2022, where he achieved record-breaking revenue collections and successfully led the port to become the first Customs collection district to achieve ISO 9001:2015 certification across its main and subports.

The new BIR chief is also a top legal mind, having placed third in the 2004 Philippine Bar Examinations. He holds degrees in Law from San Beda University and Geodetic Engineering from the University of the Philippines.

“I am fully committed to ensuring that the BIR continues to modernize and deliver efficient, transparent, and service-oriented tax administration,” he said.