Philippines' Customs Digitalization Drives 15.5% Tax Revenue Growth in April

On May 28, data from the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) of the Philippines Department of Finance showed that the government recorded a budget surplus of PHP 31.4 billion in April 2026, a decrease from PHP 67.3 billion in the same period last year. However, this still contributed to a 14.4% year-on-year narrowing of the fiscal deficit for the first four months of the year to PHP 324.1 billion. In April, total government revenue reached PHP 536.8 billion, an increase of 2.8% year-on-year. Within this, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) collected PHP 422.2 billion, while the Bureau of Customs (BOC) collected PHP 86.3 billion, a significant year-on-year increase of 15.5%. This growth is primarily attributed to enhanced valuation oversight and the gradual impact of digitalization reforms in customs clearance processes. Government expenditure for the same month rose to PHP 505.4 billion, an 11.1% increase year-on-year. Funds were mainly allocated to projects such as tax revenue sharing with local governments, the annual allocation for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, the Local Government Support Fund, and the return of PHP 60 billion in excess funds to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation. From January to April this year, total national government revenue reached PHP 1.67 trillion, a nearly 10% increase year-on-year. Total expenditure rose to PHP 2 trillion, a 5.1% increase year-on-year. Non-tax revenue during this period amounted to PHP 192 billion, doubling compared to the same period last year. This surge was primarily driven by state-owned enterprises remitting dividends ahead of schedule and increased revenue from the disposal of government assets, providing strong support for the overall fiscal situation. [Source: Ebrun Go. This article was generated by an automated writing robot developed by Ebrun, which uses algorithms to promptly deliver e-commerce industry intelligence. This 'dog' is still young; welcome to contact run@ebrun.com or leave comments to help it grow.]