BIR holds contest for a new logo with a prize of PHP 100,000

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is holding a competition to design their new logo with a PHP 100,000 prize.

This contest is being held to celebrate the BIR’s 120th anniversary, with the logo revealed by August this year.

The first and second runner-ups for the best entries of the BIR’s new logo will also be compensated. These individuals will be awarded PHP 50,000 and PHP 25,000, respectively.

BIR Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui Jr. also mentioned this decision is necessary due to the ‘negative perception’ their current logo entails. The commissioner also noted that the new logo should be inclusive of representing all Filipino taxpayers, not just a few.

‘If you look at the BIR logo, ‘yung mga andoon puro industries ‘yan. Manufacturing, telcos, agriculture, shipping, kasi those were the major industries at the time. So, ‘yun lang nakafocus na major taxpayers before tapos hindi naman na lang ‘yan ngayon. Napakadaming iba, baka hindi na sila ‘yung biggest taxpayers so bakit ang nasa logo select industries’, he added.

[If you look at the BIR logo, those are all industries. Manufacturing, telcos, agriculture, shipping, because those were the major industries at the time. So, those were the only major taxpayers that were focused on. But now, it’s not just that. There are now many others, and maybe they are no longer the biggest taxpayers. So, why are only select industries included in the logo?]

He also discussed that the new BIR logo should reflect the bureau’s mission of ‘collecting taxes for nation-building and uplifting the lives of Filipinos’.

Going back to the logo designing competition, Lumagui noted that he would personally choose the best entry of the logo. But of course, he will do this together with the BIR Management Committee.

Additionally, he also stated that the chosen logo will be submitted to the National Historical Commission for evaluation. The logo will also go through necessary modification as per the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines.