Recto welcomes Romeo Lumagui Jr. as new BIR chief

MANILA, Philippines – Finance Secretary Ralph Recto has welcomed the new Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Charlito Martin “Charlie” Mendoza, saying the agency remains “in good hands” under his leadership.

Mendoza, who served as Finance undersecretary for the Revenue Operations Group from April 2024, succeeded Romeo Lumagui Jr.

READ: Marcos-appoints-charlito-mendoza-as-new-bir-chief

“We will miss Usec Charlie at the DOF, but I believe the BIR needs him more at this time. I trust that under his leadership, the BIR will meet and even exceed our revenue targets,” Recto said.

“Above all, I trust that he will always keep the well-being of our taxpayers at the heart of all your efforts,” he added. 

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appointed Mendoza on Wednesday. As undersecretary, he had already been supervising both the BIR and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) since the start of his tenure. 

A key part of his role was leading a campaign that sought to curb smuggling and illicit trade through digitalization. The initiative helped the Department of Finance exceed its revenue target in 2024.