With the 15 April income tax deadline nearing, Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Romeo Lumagui, Jr., in a public advisory on his official Facebook page, encouraged taxpayers to use the agency’s electronic facilities and tax payment channels for a hassle-free tax filing experience.

“Our goal is to make tax compliance easier and hassle-free for our taxpayers. We will continue to enhance our services and exert more efforts to achieve that,” Lumagui said in his social media post.

According to the BIR chief, “the BIR is committed to making tax filing and payment more convenient by ensuring that our e-Filing Center and RDOs’ eLounges are available to assist taxpayers every step of the way.”

“We encourage the early filing of AITR, and the payment of the full Income Tax due on the same day of filing using the BIR’s electronic services and available tax payment channels (i.e., Authorized Agent Banks, Revenue Collection Officers [RCOs], and various electronic platforms like MAYA, GCash, and MYEG, etc.) for a smooth and hassle-free experience,” he said.

Taxpayers may use the Electronic BIR Forms (eBIRForms) and the Electronic Filing and Payment System (eFPS), both available on the BIR website, to file returns online.

The BIR is also opening its doors to those without internet access, with eLounges at Revenue District Offices (RDOs) available for in-person filing support.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. commended the BIR’s tax collection efforts during the agency’s 2025 National Tax Campaign Kickoff, noting that it met its collection target for the first time in 20 years.

“In 2024, the Bureau collected more than P2.85 trillion,” said Marcos, “which is higher than the P2.52 trillion that we collected in 2023.”

The BIR’s success is the result of both improved taxpayer services and stronger enforcement. In coordination with the Department of Justice, the BIR recently filed criminal complaints against several high-profile violators, including Ever Bilena Cosmetics Inc. for alleged tax deficiencies amounting to over P1 billion, and Hillmarc’s Construction Corporation, which is facing a P176-million tax evasion case.

The agency also visited and verified more than 307,000 establishments in 2024, recovering P257 million from compliance checks. The Run After Fake Transactions (RAFT) program led to the filing of cases against ghost sellers and buyers and collected more than P4.3 billion — up sharply from P600 million in 2023. Crackdowns on illicit trade in cigarettes, vapes, and other excisable goods yielded over P110 million last year.

The agency has widened the tax base by simplifying registration requirements and embracing digital transformation. These reforms led to the registration of over 74,000 new establishments in 2024, increasing the total number of registered business taxpayers to nearly 5.7 million. Through the Online Registration and Update System (ORUS), the agency streamlined business registration, employee record updates, and transfer processes. The introduction of Digital TIN IDs has reduced physical visits and paperwork, while the Electronic One-Time Transaction System has simplified the issuance of Electronic Certificate Authorizing Registration (eCARs).