The House of Representatives’ Tri-Committee is gearing up for a second hearing on Tuesday to delve into the tax compliance and financial transparency of social media influencers and vloggers. This follows their initial focus on the spread of fake news and misinformation online, which was discussed in a hearing on February 4, 2025.
Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. and his team have been invited to the session by the Committees on Public Order and Safety, Information and Communications Technology, and Public Information. The tri-com, led by Santa Rosa Lone District Rep. Dan Fernandez, aims to ascertain whether digital personalities are accurately reporting their earnings.
Fernandez emphasized the dual focus of the investigation, stating, “We are not only looking into the spread of disinformation but also ensuring that these influencers and vloggers comply with tax regulations.” He further mentioned that they would request vloggers to submit their income tax returns for BIR review.
The committee is considering additional measures to enhance tax compliance, such as mandating tax registration for online influencers, requiring social media platforms to report earnings, and implementing harsher penalties for non-compliance. Fernandez highlighted the importance of fairness, noting, “If traditional media, businesses, and workers all pay taxes, then digital influencers who earn from public engagement should do the same.”
He stressed the responsibility of influencers to contribute to government revenue, saying, “If they are earning from their content, whether through ads, sponsorships, or monetization schemes, then they should be paying their fair share of taxes like any other income earner.”
A diverse group of influencers, including Trixie Cruz-Angeles, Krizette Laureta Chu, Mark Anthony Lopez, Joie De Vivre, Banat By, MJ Quiambao Reyes, Lorraine Marie Badoy-Partosa, and Sass Rogando Sasot, have been invited to the hearing. These individuals generate income through platforms like Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.
Additionally, representatives from various government agencies, including the Philippine Coast Guard, Anti-Money Laundering Council, Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Justice, National Bureau of Investigation, National Telecommunications Commission, and Philippine National Police-Anti-Cybercrime Group, are expected to attend.
Executives from Meta, Google, and ByteDance have also been summoned to discuss platform monetization policies and their cooperation with tax authorities. Meta’s Genixon David, Google’s Yves Gonzalez, and ByteDance’s Peachy Paderna are among those invited to provide insights.
The BIR had previously issued a reminder in 2021 for social media influencers to register, file tax returns, and declare all income from digital platforms.