THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has intensified its nationwide tax enforcement campaign, flagging 842 establishments and sealing 385 cash register machines (CRM) and point-of-sale (POS) machines during a five-day compliance operation.
The CRM/POS Post-Evaluation covered 7,685 establishments and 14,806 machines across the BIR’s revenue regions as the tax agency stepped up its monitoring of businesses’ sales-recording systems.
The 842 establishments flagged by the BIR represented nearly 11 percent of those inspected during the five-day operation.
BIR Commissioner Charlito Martin Mendoza said the post-evaluation formed part of its continuing efforts to strengthen taxpayer compliance and ensure that businesses properly record their sales through compliant CRM and POS machines.
“What we want is for taxpayers to correct deficiencies, properly record their sales, and comply moving forward,” Mendoza said.
“When an establishment that has been flagged corrects its practices, we consider that a positive result,” he added.
Aside from the CRM/POS Post-Evaluation, the campaign covers fuel testing and marking, vape destruction, and sabong operations.
The BIR said the enforcement initiatives are intended to strengthen its presence in the field and address tax compliance issues identified across its revenue regions.
Mendoza also met with International Monetary Fund (IMF) experts to discuss the implementation of Compliance Risk Management (CRM) and CRM activities conducted in selected BIR field offices.
Mendoza said the discussions would help the bureau build a modern, data-driven compliance system that can identify and address major tax risks, improve taxpayer compliance, narrow the tax gap, and strengthen public trust.
“Compliance risk management helps us understand where the most significant compliance risks are so we can respond more precisely,” Mendoza said.
“With better data and risk assessment, we can focus our resources and interventions where they are needed most, while making compliance easier across the taxpayer base,” he added.
Key officials and IMF experts Supriyo De, Paul Duffus, and Xavier Mitchell were present in the meeting and discussed the initial findings of the CRM activities. They have identified recurring compliance risks and high-risk sectors, including construction, retail, tourism, and e-commerce.
The meeting, Mendoza said, also highlighted the need for a “strong, centrally managed CRM framework that establishes clear direction on identifying, prioritizing, and addressing compliance risks, while allowing regional offices to tailor compliance treatments to local risk profiles.”
“We appreciate the IMF’s continued partnership and the practical expertise it brings to this work,” Mendoza said.
“The goal is to strengthen our own capability to identify and analyze compliance risks, determine the appropriate response, and continuously improve how we manage taxpayer compliance,” he added.
