BIR tax collections up by more than 10 pct in September

MANILA — The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) said its tax collections reached P203.581 billion in September, up 10.93 percent from the amount collected in the same month last year.

In the first 9 months of 2026, the BIR collected P2.465 trillion, higher by 5.58 percent compared with the amount collected in the same period in 2025.

BIR Commissioner Charlito Martin Mendoza attributed the growth in tax collections to voluntary tax compliance and taxpayer assistance initiatives of the agency’s Revenue Regions, Large Taxpayers Service, and support units.

“By reaching out and helping taxpayers comply correctly and on time, we are showing that good taxpayer service and stronger revenue collections go hand in hand,” Mendoza said.

Last month, the BIR said it paid out P23.67 billion in tax refunds from January to September this year. 

The Department of Finance has pushed for a tax reform package, dubbed ProGRESS, which consists of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s proposal to raise the tax-exempt annual personal income ceiling to P350,000, and remove the 2 percent minimum corporate income tax for qualified micro and small enterprises.

To offset these projected losses, the DOF proposed to increase the tax on sweetened beverages using caloric sweeteners from P6/liter to P20/liter, and those using high fructose corn syrup from P12/liter to P40/liter, with an annual indexation rate of 5 percent. 

The reform package also seeks to remove the tax exemption on 100 percent natural fruit juices and vegetable juices, as well as on edible ices, like ice creams and frozen yogurts.