The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has dismantled its specialized value-added tax (VAT) audit units, executing a major structural overhaul designed to boost collections and eliminate overlapping enforcement that previously fueled allegations of corruption. BIR Commissioner Charlito Martin R....
The Philippines’ more-than-three-decade-old devolution program remains incomplete, with local government units (LGUs) and national agencies continuing to share responsibilities for many basic services despite the 1991 Local Government Code (LGC), according to state-run policy think tank...
Authorities intercepted 23 containers of smuggled cigarettes valued at ₱1.7 billion at a private wharf in Manila, marking one of the largest illicit tobacco seizures this year as the government intensifies its crackdown on tax evasion and border fraud. The joint enforcement operation, conducted...
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) launched a one-time tax abatement program aimed at giving micro-businesses and inactive filers a chance to settle outstanding liabilities and clean up their financial records. Under Revenue Regulations No. 4-2026, the tax bureau established guidelines for the...
Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero has urged the national government to consider non ‑ tax revenue options to achieve long-term fiscal stability even as state economic managers continue to study ways to strengthen the country’s revenue generation policies. Escudero said the government should...
Tax revenue collection benefited from the extended filing season, driving the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) year-to-date collections to ₱1.43 trillion as of end-May—up from the ₱1.35 trillion recorded in the same period in 2025. This 5.5-percent increase in cumulative revenues for the...
Government preparations for the possible implementation of the proposed global top-up tax are ongoing, as large multinational enterprises (MNEs) have expressed a preference to settle the 15 percent global minimum tax in the Philippines rather than comply with “unfamiliar rules” abroad. Bureau...
Starting in 2028, the Philippines will automatically exchange information on crypto-asset transactions annually with foreign tax authorities, according to the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). According to OECD’s “Tax Transparency in Asia 2026: Asia...
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) extended tax filing and payment deadlines for individuals and businesses in Mindanao hit by the recent earthquake, moving key dates to the end of the month to provide financial relief to the affected region. Taxpayers registered under Revenue District Office No....
The Department of Finance (DOF) has begun negotiations with Switzerland-based SICPA SA for a proposed ₱13.44-billion fuel marking program extension beyond the expiration of the current contract in mid-2026, ensuring the continuation of a key anti-smuggling initiative that has been in place since...
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) expanded its list of tax-exempt power sector fees, a move aimed at preventing double taxation and lowering electricity bills for consumers amid volatile global energy markets. Under Revenue Memorandum Circular 60-2026 issued on June 4, the government’s main...
Foreign digital service providers operating in the country cannot leverage international double tax agreements to avoid the nation’s 12 percent value-added tax (VAT), according to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). The tax authority clarified that bilateral tax treaties strictly apply to...
