No soft launch. No ceremonial fluff. Just a full-throttle tax enforcement message.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) stormed Cebu on March 6 to ignite the Visayas leg of its 2026 Regional Tax Campaign, drawing more than 1,600 participants — from revenue officers and government officials to business leaders and tax stakeholders — in what has become one of the biggest tax mobilizations in the region.

Front and center of the campaign’s war room is BIR Commissioner Atty. Charlito “Charlie” Martin Mendoza and Deputy Commissioner for Operations Atty. Vener Baquiran, the two men driving the bureau’s intensified push for stronger tax collection, tighter enforcement, and nationwide compliance.

And if the early momentum is any indication, the BIR isn’t just collecting taxes — it’s redefining the pace of revenue generation in the Philippines.

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MENDOZA: THE COMMANDER OF THE TAX FRONTLINE

Commissioner Charlie Mendoza delivered the campaign’s strongest message: the Visayas is not just participating in the economy — it is powering it.

With deep personal ties to Cebu from his time as Customs District Collector at the Port of Cebu, Mendoza returned to the region with both familiarity and firepower.

He laid down the numbers that shook the room.

In 2024 alone, the combined economic output of Western Visayas, Negros Island Region, Central Visayas, and Eastern Visayas reached a staggering ₱3.7 trillion.

Put simply:

For every ₱6 of wealth created in the Philippines, ₱1 came from the Visayas.

“That is the power of the Visayan taxpayer,” Mendoza emphasized, pointing to the region’s vital role in tourism, education, commerce, and national development.

But Mendoza’s leadership at the BIR has not been about speeches — it’s about results.

Since taking command, the commissioner has been tightening revenue systems, strengthening enforcement operations, and driving the bureau toward more disciplined tax administration.

Insiders say Mendoza’s approach is clear:

Collect fairly. Collect efficiently. Collect without fear or favor.

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BAQUIRAN: THE OPERATIONS GENERAL

While Mendoza commands the strategy, Deputy Commissioner for Operations Atty. Vener Baquiran runs the battlefield.

Known inside the BIR as a quiet but relentless operations tactician, Baquiran has been instrumental in pushing the bureau’s nationwide enforcement drive and operational efficiency.

Under his watch, revenue regions have been pushed to step up tax monitoring, strengthen audit capabilities, and expand compliance programs targeting businesses that attempt to evade their obligations.

Colleagues describe Baquiran as methodical, disciplined, and relentless in execution — the kind of leadership that turns policy into actual collections.

Together, Mendoza and Baquiran form what insiders now call the “revenue engine” of the BIR.

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TAXES BACK TO THE PEOPLE

Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro, who delivered a message during the event, emphasized the importance of tax responsibility and government accountability.

“Every peso of public funds must be spent carefully, responsibly, and always for the benefit of the people,” she said.

For Mendoza, the message was equally direct:

Taxes are not just numbers — they fund hospitals, roads, schools, and public services.

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

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NATIONWIDE TAX SURGE

The Visayas campaign kickoff marks just one front of a nationwide tax mobilization.

The BIR is also preparing cluster launches across North Luzon later this March, expanding the campaign’s reach across the country.

And with Mendoza and Baquiran steering the bureau’s operations, insiders say the message to taxpayers is unmistakable:

The BIR is watching.
The BIR is working.
And the BIR is collecting.

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