The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), using its Friendly Tax Compliance Verification Drive (TCVD) to track business registration compliance, said an estimated 12 percent of more than 200,000 establishments verified were unregistered.
The BIR uses the TCVD to ensure that more owners make their operations legitimate and official.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the BIR said the latest findings reinforced the view that the bureau needs to keep on reminding business owners to register their businesses.
The most frequent violations were operating without registration, and failing to keep books of accounts and displaying their certificates of registration issued by the bureau.
The BIR’s latest compliance verification drive last week covered retail stores, restaurants, healthcare providers, automotive shops and construction material suppliers.
These businesses were instructed by internal revenue officers how to comply with tax regulations and address any deficiencies.
“Revenue officers were deployed all over the Philippines to visit and educate businesses on their tax compliance requirements,” BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. said.
Some businesses need to improve their record-keeping by making timely entries in their books and issuing invoices.
The BIR said many of these businesses were unaware of their obligations, emphasizing the importance of taxpayer education.
The nationwide verification drive marks a shift in the BIR’s priorities, from a traditional goal-oriented agency to a taxpayer-centric bureau, it said.
With the conclusion of the four-day TCVD on Feb. 14, 2025, the BIR reminded taxpayers to file their income tax returns on or before April 15, 2025.
Taxpayers who need help should visit their nearest BIR Revenue District Office or check the official BIR website.
