BIR, BTr, UnionBank bolster digital tax payments via UPay

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr), and UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank) have formally strengthened their digital partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on February 24, 2026, at UnionBank Plaza, Ortigas Center, Pasig City.

The agreement integrates UnionBank’s UPay Facility into the national collection system, providing taxpayers with expanded and more convenient web- and mobile-based channels for the payment of taxes and other government obligations.

The MOA marks a major milestone in the evolution of the ePayment Project, first implemented in 2019, by consolidating previous agreements covering UnionBank’s role as an Authorized Agent Bank for the collection and remittance of National Internal Revenue Taxes and Customs Duties.

The partnership aims to further enhance efficiency, transparency, and security in electronic tax payments while ensuring timely remittances and accurate collection records.

In his message, BIR Commissioner Charlito Martin R. Mendoza emphasized that the agreement forms part of the Bureau’s continuing modernization efforts to improve taxpayer experience and strengthen revenue administration.

“The UPay Facility provides taxpayers with enhanced web and mobile options to settle their obligations, reducing the need for in-person queues and manual processing,” Commissioner Mendoza said. “Sa madaling salita, pinapadali natin ang pagbabayad ng buwis. And when the process is easier, trust grows and voluntary compliance becomes stronger.”

The Commissioner added that the initiative supports the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to raise service excellence across government and aligns with the Department of Finance’s economic reform agenda.

He noted that under the BIR D.A.R.E.S. reform agenda, the partnership reinforces the Bureau’s pillar on Service Excellence and Stakeholder Engagement.

UnionBank President and CEO Ana Maria Aboitiz Delgado highlighted the bank’s commitment to providing accessible and secure payment channels that support national development.

“Under this supplemental agreement, UnionBank will continue to provide multiple ways for taxpayers to fulfill their obligations — through over-the-counter payments in our branches, digital banking channels, and UPay leveraging InstaPay, PCHC, PayGate, and other electronic payment rails,” Delgado said.

She added that the partnership enables taxpayers to choose the most convenient payment channels while ensuring that collections are promptly and accurately remitted to the Treasury Single Account of the Bureau of the Treasury, thereby strengthening transparency, accountability, and trust in public finance.

The collaboration, she noted, reflects the shared goal of government and the private sector to make compliance easier, reduce friction in public services, and build resilient, inclusive, and customer-centric systems.

Supporting the modernization initiatives highlighted by Commissioner Mendoza, Treasurer of the Philippines Sharon P. Almanza underscored the importance of digital transformation in strengthening public financial management and improving taxpayer access to government services.

“Today marks another important milestone in our digital transformation journey as we modernize tax payment systems to make them more accessible while strengthening public financial management,” Treasurer Almanza said. “Through this Memorandum of Agreement and the UPay Facility, we are introducing secure, convenient, and cost-effective digital payment solutions that will help accelerate remittances and enhance transparency.”

She noted that the agreement builds on reforms such as the implementation of the Treasury Single Account and the expansion of digital payment channels under the BIR’s ePayment Project, further reinforcing the government’s shared goal of efficient and transparent revenue collection.

Also present during the signing were BIR Deputy Commissioners Larry M. Barcelo and Ma. Rosario Charo G. Enriquez-Curiba; and UnionBank Executive Vice President Mimi C. Concha and Ma. Cecilia Teresa S. Bernad.

The officials witnessed the formalization of the partnership and reaffirmed their shared commitment to advancing secure, efficient, and accessible digital tax payment solutions.

The ePayment Project, launched by the BIR in 2019, has been a cornerstone of the government’s push to digitize revenue collection and reduce reliance on manual, over-the-counter transactions. UnionBank, one of the Philippines’ leading digital banks, has been at the forefront of financial technology innovation, with its UPay platform serving as a key infrastructure for electronic government payments.