CEBU CITY — The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) fired the opening salvo of its 2026 Regional Tax Campaign in the Visayas, mobilizing more than 1,600 revenue officials, government leaders, and private sector stakeholders in Cebu City on March 6 in a strong show of the bureau’s intensified nationwide drive for tax compliance.

At the forefront of the campaign is BIR Commissioner Atty. Charlito “Charlie” Martin Mendoza and Deputy Commissioner for Operations Atty. Vener Baquiran, the two key officials steering the bureau’s aggressive push to strengthen tax collection, tighten enforcement, and expand voluntary compliance across the country.

The Visayas launch brought together representatives from Revenue Region No. 11 (Western Visayas), Revenue Region No. 12 (Negros Island Region), Revenue Region No. 13 (Central Visayas), and Revenue Region No. 14 (Eastern Visayas)—a clear demonstration of the bureau’s unified strategy to reinforce tax awareness and fiscal discipline across the region.

Commissioner Mendoza, who previously served as Customs District Collector at the Port of Cebu, underscored the Visayas’ growing importance in the Philippine economy, describing the region as a vital tourism hub, educational center, and economic powerhouse.

Citing government data, Mendoza noted that the combined economic output of Western Visayas, the Negros Island Region, Central Visayas, and Eastern Visayas reached ₱3.7 trillion in 2024.

“Put another way, for every six pesos of wealth created in the Philippines that year, one peso came from these four regions,” Mendoza said, emphasizing the significant role played by Visayan entrepreneurs, workers, and taxpayers in driving national development.

Under Mendoza’s leadership, the BIR has intensified its focus on fair, efficient, and integrity-driven tax administration, strengthening the bureau’s systems and enforcement mechanisms to ensure that revenue collection keeps pace with the country’s expanding economy.

Working closely with the commissioner is Deputy Commissioner for Operations, Atty. Vener Baquiran, who oversees the bureau’s operational strategies and revenue region performance nationwide.

Baquiran has been instrumental in enhancing compliance programs, strengthening audit operations, and pushing revenue offices to deliver stronger collection performance, reinforcing the bureau’s mission to ensure that taxes due to the government are properly collected.

Together, Mendoza and Baquiran have been driving a more disciplined and results-oriented approach within the BIR, ensuring that public revenues are secured to fund essential government services.

During the event, Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro commended the BIR’s efforts to simplify tax compliance and strengthen public trust in the tax system.

“Every peso of public funds must be spent carefully, responsibly, and always for the benefit of the people,” Baricuatro said. “We must believe that the taxes paid by our people must always go back to them through better healthcare, stronger communities, and meaningful public services.”

Mendoza echoed the importance of responsible revenue generation, noting that taxes collected by the BIR ultimately fund the nation’s public infrastructure, healthcare systems, education programs, and other vital services.

“These resources come from the people, and the BIR has the duty to collect them fairly, properly, and with integrity so they can be returned to you through public service,” he said.

The Visayas campaign marks one of several regional launches planned by the BIR as part of its nationwide 2026 tax awareness and compliance drive, with similar cluster kickoffs scheduled in North Luzon later this March.

With Mendoza and Baquiran at the helm, the bureau continues to strengthen its campaign to ensure that tax compliance remains a shared responsibility in sustaining the country’s economic growth and public service delivery.

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