THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) fell short of its revenue target for the first nine months of 2026 by ₱43 billion, even as it recorded double‑digit growth in collections for September.
As of October 13, the agency reported that it took in ₱203.58 billion last month — an 11‑percent increase from the ₱183.5 billion collected in September 2025 — which it credited to improved voluntary compliance and proactive taxpayer assistance programs. The September performance brought total revenues from January through September to ₱2.465 trillion, or 6 percent higher than the ₱2.33 trillion posted in the same period a year earlier.
Despite the year‑on‑year expansion, the cumulative figure undershot the Development Budget Coordination Committee’s (DBCC) goal of ₱2.508 trillion by roughly 2 percent. The shortfall comes even after the DBCC adjusted the BIR’s full‑year target downward by ₱38 billion, bringing the revised goal to ₱3.393 trillion. The January–September haul now represents about 73 percent of that lowered annual target, leaving the agency with roughly ₱928 billion to collect in the final quarter of the year to meet its commitment.
The BIR remains optimistic that intensified enforcement efforts, expanded taxpayer education campaigns, and stricter monitoring of high‑income earners and large enterprises will help close the gap in the remaining months. However, economists note that the late‑year push will require sustained monthly growth above the 6‑percent average recorded so far. Any continued revenue underperformance could constrain government spending priorities, including the rollout of key infrastructure and social programs outlined in the proposed 2027 national budget.
metrosundaily
