The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) collected nearly P3 trillion in taxes last year ? the highest posted in two decades, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. reported on Tuesday.

Speaking at the 2025 BIR National Tax Campaign Kickoff at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), Marcos said the BIR collected over P2.85 trillion in 2024, surpassing its P2.52 trillion record in 2023.

The President said the bureau’s revenue last year could easily fund 1,140,800 new schools, 190,133 kilometers of roads, and 167,014 rural health facilities.

“Ngayong araw na ito, muli kaming nananawagan sa ating mga kababayan at magpapaalala sa pagbabayad ng tamang buwis,” he said. “Ang bawat mamamayang sumusunod sa tamang pagbayad ng buwis ay nagiging bahagi sa ating pag-unlad.”

The President likewise renewed his call for Filipinos to pay the correct taxes.

The BIR has strengthened its tax collection by expanding the tax base, simplifying key processes and documentary requirements, and digitalizing the tax system.

The initiatives led to the registration of 74,656 new establishments in 2024, bringing the total number of registered taxpayers to nearly 5.7 million?a milestone that translates to new government projects and more economic opportunities for Filipinos.

The BIR has also intensified its compliance enforcement by inspecting and verifying 307,028 establishments, recovering P257.01 million through compliance checks.

The President cited BIR’s efforts against tax fraud, mainly through the Run After Fake Transactions (RAFT) program, which led to cases filed against ghost sellers and buyers. The initiative resulted in P4.33 billion in 2024, a sharp increase from the P617.95 million collected in 2023.

Crackdowns on illicit trade ? including cigarettes, vapes, and other excisable goods ? generated P110.33 million in revenue last year. Presidential News Desk