The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has extended the deadline for filing annual income tax returns for taxable year 2025 to May 15, with officials expecting a surge of taxpayers to comply before the new cutoff.
In an interview with DZRH’s Dos Por Dos, BIR Commissioner Charlito Mendoza said on Friday that while many taxpayers had already filed before the original April deadline, a significant number are still expected to submit returns and pay taxes during the extension period.
He noted that monitoring by the agency indicates a considerable number of taxpayers did not meet the initial April deadline, prompting expectations of increased activity leading up to May 15.
“Based sa monitoring po namin, marami po ang hindi nagbayad nitong nakaraang Abril at we anticipate na ngayong May 15 po at the latest magbabayad,” Mendoza said.
Mendoza urged taxpayers not to wait until the last day to file and pay, warning of potential inconvenience due to high transaction volumes. He said the BIR is prepared to handle a surge in filings but encouraged early compliance to avoid delays.
“Huwag na po tayong maghintay sana sa huling araw. File early, pay on time, at magbayad po tayo nang tama.”
Despite the extension, the agency reported strong revenue performance. Mendoza said collections in March grew by about 12% compared with the same period last year, reflecting double-digit growth.
He added that April collections exceeded the BIR’s internal target by approximately 5 billion pesos, even as the deadline for annual income tax payments was moved to May. The agency had initially anticipated a possible shortfall due to the extension.
“Despite the extension, nalampasan pa namin yung internal goal namin for April at inaasahan po namin na ang momentum ay magtutuloy-tuloy pa ngayong Mayo,” said Mendoza.
Mendoza attributed the sustained revenue growth to improved taxpayer compliance, ongoing digitalization initiatives, and streamlined processes aimed at making tax filing and payment more accessible.
He also cited intensified taxpayer education campaigns as a factor encouraging voluntary compliance, emphasizing the agency’s efforts to simplify procedures and improve service for taxpayers.
