New BIR chief Ligon vows five-year digital overhaul, anti-corruption drive

Newly appointed Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Rolando Ligon Jr. is prioritizing stronger anti-corruption safeguards and a five-year modernization of the agency’s information technology systems as he takes over the country’s primary tax-collecting bureau.

Ligon said he would continue existing reform programs while making the BIR more transparent, technology-driven and responsive to taxpayers.

“My commitment to the Filipino people is clear: we will transform the BIR into a fully modernized, transparent, and service-oriented institution where technology empowers our tax collectors and simplifies compliance for every taxpayer, ensuring that trust in our tax system is earned and preserved,” Ligon said.

He also pledged to assist taxpayers seeking to comply with tax rules while pursuing those who deliberately evade their obligations.

“We will provide taxpayer assistance to those who want to comply but will apply the full force of the law to those who deliberately dodge payment of taxes,” he said.

Ligon will sustain the DARES framework, a five-point reform agenda introduced by his predecessor, former commissioner Charlito Martin Mendoza Jr. It covers digital and data transformation, audit reform and accountability, revenue collection and base protection, employee empowerment and welfare promotion, and service excellence and stakeholder engagement.

Under the digital transformation pillar, the BIR plans to overhaul its core IT systems over the next five years, upgrade computer infrastructure and integrate data analytics across its regional and district offices.

“Updating the BIR’s IT infrastructure is the backbone of our digital and data transformation strategy. By modernizing our computer systems, we will eliminate administrative bottlenecks, minimize room for corruption, ensure data integrity, and provide taxpayers with faster, more efficient digital channels,” Ligon said.

Before his appointment, Ligon served as Department of Finance undersecretary for the Revenue Operations Group, overseeing policies and performance monitoring for the BIR and Bureau of Customs. He began his government career as a BIR Revenue Officer 1.

A tax lawyer and certified public accountant, Ligon holds degrees from Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University and completed the International Tax Program at Harvard Law School.