BIR Commissioner Lumagui honored for good governance

MANILA, Philippines—Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui Jr. has been awarded for his commitment to good governance by the Kaya Natin! Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership.

The accolade was presented to Lumagui on June 24 at The B Hotel in Quezon City to mark the organization’s 15th founding anniversary.

“People react positively when they see signs of good governance,” Lumagui said while accepting the award. He noted the positive changes observed in the BIR under his leadership, changes that he said have laid the groundwork for better service and governance.

The Kaya Natin! Movement, established in 2008 by local government leaders, including the late Jesse Robredo, husband of former Vice President Leni Robredo, is a non-profit organization. Its membership comprises public servants and involved citizens promoting the group’s values of effective, ethical, and empowering leadership. Former Senator Bam Aquino, who was at the event, chairs the organization.

Harvey Keh, lead convenor, expressed the group’s excitement in collaborating with the BIR for the first time, citing Lumagui’s integrity and commitment to good governance as key reasons.

Lumagui, appointed as Commissioner of Internal Revenue in November 2022, has since led the BIR to record-breaking tax collections, surpassing the targeted amount by 1.73% and marking a year-on-year increase of 13.31% from 2022.

“All our programs were formulated and executed in consonance with four pillars of good governance in BIR,” Lumagui said, outlining these as excellent taxpayer service, digital transformation, institutional integrity and professionalism, and bold enforcement activities.

Under Lumagui’s watch, the BIR has taken a strong stance against illegal activities, initiating raids against illicit vape and cigarette traders and launching a campaign against the use of fraudulent receipts—a first for any Commissioner of Internal Revenue. These initiatives aim to recoup the estimated P46 B lost revenue due to tax evasion.

Internally, Lumagui has also addressed corruption, having recently dismissed 26 BIR employees on charges varying from grave misconduct to serious dishonesty. Despite these measures, he has assured the public that all actions adhere to due process and uphold the rule of law.

Reflecting on the historic BIR collections achieved within the first four months of the year, Lumagui highlighted that these results demonstrate the efficacy of BIR employees under quality leadership and indicate a restoration of public trust and confidence in the institution.

“The Filipinos aspire and hope for good governance. And they know what good governance looks and feels like,” he said.

Lumagui, grateful for the recognition of his accomplishments, expressed his continued commitment to elevating the BIR from a collection-centric agency to a service-oriented bureau championing good governance.

“It’s still a long way to go in terms of achieving good governance from an organizational standpoint in BIR. What is important nonetheless is that given the limited time we have, we were able to set in motion programs about integrity, rule of law, and ethical leadership in BIR,” the Commissioner said.