BIR chief highlights fair, simple tax administration at ECCP forum

MANILA, Philippines — A tax administration that is fair, simple, predictable, and partnership-driven — that’s what Commissioner Charlito Martin R. Mendoza of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) outlined during the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) Tax Forum 2026 held on Aug. 13.

“Businesses can operate under demanding rules. What is much harder is operating under uncertain rules, inconsistent interpretations, or unpredictable processes,” Mendoza told the forum participants, which included business leaders and tax professionals.

The four commitments he presented at the forum are supported by the BIR Dares reform and legacy agenda, which stands for:

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• D – digital and data transformation: upgrading online systems, data-driven auditing, and digital assistance tools, such as Chatbot Revie
• A – audit reform and accountability: restricting audits to a strict “one Letter of Authority per taxpayer per year” policy and implementing an “audit-the-auditors” system
• R – revenue collection and base protection: intensifying enforcement and tracking down tax evasion or fake transactions
• E – employee empowerment and welfare promotion: supporting personnel to build high standards of professionalism
• S – service excellence and stakeholder engagement: improving taxpayer services and transparency

As a BIR statement on Monday put it, the BIR is pursuing those reforms to achieve these goals:

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• make compliance easier, through digitalization to reduce processing time
• make audits more consistent and accountable
• ensure that enforcement will focus on genuine compliance risks

READ: BIR, SC in talks to align electronic notarization efforts

Mendoza stressed the importance of sustaining private sector engagement to shape reforms that respond to actual business conditions and operational concerns.

“The private sector sees things that government sometimes does not. You experience our regulations in actual business operations. You know where processes work. You know where they create bottlenecks. You know where requirements overlap,” Mendoza said.

“We will listen. We will improve. We will enforce the law fairly. And we will continue making it easier for taxpayers to do the right thing,” added.

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READ: BIR, Ayala Corp. to develop AI-powered tax AI assistant

The ECCP Tax Forum — “From Preparation to Protection: Navigating Tax Compliance in a Changing Landscape” — included sessions focusing on tax compliance, regulatory developments, digitalization, audits, dispute resolution, and other issues affecting businesses operating in the Philippines.

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Among the BIR officials present were BIR Deputy Commissioners Larry M. Barcelo and Marissa O. Cabreros, Assistant Commissioners Raquel Cristina V. Baltazar and Mariza R. Uy, and Collection Programs Division Chief Glenn Alde. /atm