BIZ BUZZ: The taxman cometh—with a smiley face
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is trying to prove that tax season doesn’t have to be scary.
To ramp up voluntary compliance during Tax Awareness Month, the agency went full-on friendly face-to-face dialogue with taxpayers nationwide through its new “CHAT” mode: Counsel, Help, Assist Taxpayers.
Leading the charge, BIR Commissioner Charlie Mendoza hit the ground at 168 Mall in Binondo, Manila, checking in with business owners and reminding everyone that taxes aren’t meant to be intimidating at all.
As the BIR puts it, the approach is simple: “Not to audit, but to assist; not to examine, but to engage and educate; not to demand, but to dialogue.”
The friendly outreach wasn’t just a Manila affair. About 22 other revenue regions joined in simultaneously, later converging at the South Metro Manila command center for a nationwide broadcast to share highlights and debrief on their on-the-ground activities.
The face-to-face visits made sure taxpayers got tips on registration, receipts, record-keeping and filing to keep up with the requirements.
“Tax Awareness Month reminds us that compliance is a shared responsibility. Through our Nationwide Friendly Tax Compliance Verification Drive, the BIR is making tax compliance easier for honest taxpayers and harder for violators—combining service excellence, digital coordination and accountable enforcement to protect every peso of revenue for the Filipino people,” Mendoza said.
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