President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to cracking down on tax evaders, emphasizing the importance of accountability in upholding the country’s tax system.
Speaking at the 2025 Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) National Tax Campaign Kickoff held at the Philippine International Convention Center, Marcos stressed the need for strict enforcement against individuals who attempt to circumvent tax laws.
“We will ensure that those who continue to exploit our system face accountability,” Marcos stated. “I say this with both hope and sternness—hope that everyone understands the value of their contributions, and firmness in enforcing the law against those who manipulate the system.”
The President assured the public that tax revenues would be properly monitored and utilized for programs benefiting the people. He urged the BIR to maintain vigilance in ensuring that every collected peso is directed toward public service initiatives.
“Your responsibility is clear—be watchful, serve as guardians of a system that guarantees every peso collected is invested in programs that serve our citizens,” Marcos told BIR officials.
Highlighting efforts to improve tax collection, Marcos credited the BIR for expanding the taxpayer base by streamlining processes and digitizing the tax system. This resulted in the registration of over 74,000 new establishments in the past year, bringing the total number of registered business taxpayers to nearly 5.7 million. Compliance checks on more than 307,000 establishments led to the recovery of P257 million, while total tax collections in 2024 reached over P2.85 trillion, surpassing the previous year’s P2.52 trillion.
Marcos’ tax history remains a controversial issue
While Marcos has taken a strong stance on tax compliance, his own tax record has been the subject of legal and political debate. In 1995, the Quezon City Regional Trial Court found him guilty of failing to file income tax returns from 1982 to 1985 during his tenure as Ilocos Norte governor. The Court of Appeals later upheld the conviction in 1997 but removed the penalty of imprisonment.
In addition, the Marcos family has an unresolved estate tax liability that has reportedly ballooned to ₱203 billion due to accumulated penalties and interest. The BIR has repeatedly demanded payment, but the amount remains unsettled. Legal experts have debated whether this constitutes tax evasion, with some arguing that the deliberate non-payment of estate taxes could be considered a form of tax evasion.
During the 2022 presidential election, this issue resurfaced, with attempts to disqualify Marcos from the race based on his prior tax convictions. However, both the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Supreme Court ruled that his conviction did not constitute moral turpitude, allowing him to run and ultimately win the presidency.
Despite these lingering concerns, Marcos has called on Filipinos to fulfill their tax obligations, asserting that tax compliance plays a critical role in national development.
“Every honest contribution fuels something much greater than ourselves. Each tax paid is a step toward building a stronger and more prosperous Philippines,” Marcos said.
