The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is focused on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in southern Pampanga for its tax collection campaign.
The agency said that some 90 percent of MSMEs are registered taxpayers and have significant economic activities in the southern portion of Pampanga and their role is critical in boosting collection.
"Part of the strategy is the CHAT (Counsel-Help-Assist-Taxpayers) campaign, which is implemented through personal tax mapping of businesses and virtual monitoring by staff in the information drive. It aims to make the taxation system more transparent, accessible, and accountable," said Revenue District Office 21B Chief Marinelia German.
The agency noted that the BIR is shifting towards a "people-centered approach" with its focus MSMEs, involving essential tax compliance and educating business owners on their obligations.
Saripoden Bantog, Regional Director of BIR Revenue Region 4, said the agency faces a major challenge in its tax campaign following past corruption scandals that have affected the confidence of some taxpayers.
The agency confirmed that the construction industry, including the supply sector, were affected by the past flood control anomaly.
Bantog also confirmed that the agency received information about the alleged involvement of some former Chinese POGO operators in illegal cigarette manufacturing.
"So part of the BIR's intensified tax campaign this February is to expand information against the sale of illicit cigarettes, especially at the retailer level. Vendors are held accountable if they are found to be selling counterfeit or smuggled cigarettes," he said.
Bantog added that following their tax mapping campaign, the BIR is conducting more thorough inspections of warehouses in Central Luzon as part of their intensified campaign against tax evasion and illegal cigarette trade.
The agency launched its tax awareness campaign on Monday, February 23.
BIR Commissioner Charlito Mendoza reported that some P358 billion (subject to final reconciliation) in January this year, a small increase from the P355.1 billion recorded in the same month in 2025, or about 10 percent of the agency's P3.58 trillion revenue goal for 2026.
"By bringing previously unregistered activities into the formal economy and ensuring the issuance of sales invoices, we expect to capture a larger share of economic activity that previously went untaxed. [This campaign will improve collections] because once taxpayers become compliant, especially those with previously unregistered activities, they are brought into the tax base. The current strategy is designed to make compliance easier for honest taxpayers while making violations more difficult through a combination of digital coordination and accountable enforcement," he said.