Collections of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) went up by over 11 percent in March this year despite the impact of the Middle East conflict.
Preliminary data released Wednesday showed that BIR’s gross collection amounted to PHP198.7 billion in March, higher by 11.8 percent from the same month last year.
“Our March 2026 collection performance is encouraging, especially at this time of economic strain,” Commissioner Charlito Martin Mendoza said in a statement.
“We at the BIR heed the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Finance Secretary Frederick D. Go to help ensure that the government has steady revenues to fund essential services and provide timely support, especially to those who need it most,” he added.
The BIR also released PHP11.368 billion in tax refunds in March 2026, more than five times the amount released in the same month last year.
As a result, net collection for the month reached PHP187.387 billion, up by 6.68 percent year-on-year.
The BIR said that while a higher level of refunds tempered net collection growth, it also meant more funds were returned to taxpayers and businesses during the ongoing energy crisis. (PNA)
