BIR expands fuel marking operations to 10 revenue regions

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has expanded its fuel marking operations to 10 revenue regions, testing 189 fuel stations as of Oct. 13, 2026, as part of its intensified enforcement against illicit fuel trade and efforts to protect the country’s revenue base.

Of the stations subjected to field tests, 111 passed, and 78 failed, or 41.3 percent of all stations tested.

Affected pumps were sealed from 78 establishments, with 900,250.69 liters of fuel inventory associated with failed field tests.

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The operations covered the following revenue regions:

• No. 5 – Camanava and Bulacan
• No. 6 – Manila and Palawan
• No. 7A – Quezon City
• No. 7B – East National Capital Region
• No. 8A – Makati
• No. 8B – South National Capital Region
• No. 11 – Western Visayas
• No. 12 – Negros Island
• No. 13 – Central Visayas
• No. 14 – Eastern Visayas

BIR Commissioner Charlito Martin R. Mendoza said the bureau would continue tracing fuel sources identified in connection with failed station-level tests and conduct further verification, including testing at fuel depots.

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He emphasized that identifying a fuel source linked to a failed station test does not, by itself, establish supplier non-compliance.

“We will pursue these findings thoroughly, but we must also be fair in our enforcement. Any finding of non-compliance must be supported by proper verification,” Mendoza said.

The operations form part of the BIR DARES reform agenda under Revenue Collection and Base Protection, which calls for stronger enforcement against illicit trade and other activities that erode the revenue base and place compliant businesses at a disadvantage. /atm