January Sees Surge in Tax and Customs Revenue, Finance Secretary Applauds Efforts

In a notable financial uptick, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) reported increased collections for January 2025, according to the Department of Finance (DOF). The BIR’s collections soared to PHP350.6 billion, marking a 13.7% increase from the previous year’s January figures. Similarly, the BOC saw its collections rise by 8.1% year-on-year, reaching PHP79.3 billion. These figures were highlighted during a command conference held on February 19, 2025, at the Finance office in Malate, Manila, where Finance Secretary Ralph Recto praised the efforts of both agencies. The conference was attended by key figures including BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr., BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio, and various senior officials and undersecretaries from the DOF. During the meeting, updates on digitalization and enforcement initiatives were shared. The BIR outlined its 2025 digitalization goals, which include enhancing the Electronic Invoicing/Receipting and Sales Reporting System, fully utilizing the Internal Revenue Integrated System, and advancing the Project 230x – Online Withholding Tax System, among others. On the other hand, the BOC focused on the complete digitalization of customs processes, integrating payment channels into the e-Pay Portal System, and establishing regional data centers. Secretary Recto emphasized the importance of achieving these digitalization targets to further streamline operations and enhance revenue collection.