MANILA, Philippines — September 2026 — ACGlobal is expanding its international tax policy and investment advocacy, calling on governments, embassies, chambers of commerce, investors and business leaders to support a new generation of reforms aimed at making the Philippines more competitive, transparent and investment-ready.
Led by global tax policy expert and ACGlobal Chief Tax Adviser Mon Abrea, the initiative brings together fiscal reform, investment promotion, digital government, MSME development and institutional accountability under one core principle:
“Promote the Philippines abroad. Reform government at home.”
At the center of the advocacy is a simple question: as government collects more, borrows more and spends more, are citizens and investors receiving better outcomes?
The proposed 2027 Philippine national budget stands at ₱7.2 trillion, while national government debt has already exceeded ₱19 trillion. For Abrea, these figures reinforce the need for a stronger fiscal compact based not only on revenue mobilization, but on measurable public value.
“Fiscal policy should not be judged simply by how much government collects or spends. It should be judged by what citizens actually receive in return.”
ACGlobal is advocating a policy framework built around “Collect Better Before Taxing More”—using e-invoicing, integrated government data, AI-assisted risk analytics, risk-based audits, stronger anti-smuggling enforcement, better VAT administration and modern international tax rules to improve compliance without repeatedly increasing the burden on already visible taxpayers.
The organization also supports broader middle-class tax relief.
While the proposed increase in the personal income-tax exemption from ₱250,000 to ₱350,000 is a positive step, ACGlobal is pushing for a phased, fiscally responsible roadmap toward ₱1 million in tax-free income, combined with automatic inflation indexation and clear fiscal safeguards.
The economic case is significant. Filipino households account for roughly three-fourths of domestic economic activity, making them the country’s largest demand engine.
“The middle class should not be viewed merely as a source of tax revenue. They are consumers, savers, entrepreneurs, investors and the foundation of domestic economic resilience.”
ACGlobal is equally focused on attracting high-quality foreign investment.
Through its international investment missions and Why Invest in the Philippines? CREATE MORE Edition, the organization is working to connect global investors with Philippine opportunities while translating investor experience into policy reforms.
“Investors do not simply invest in incentives. They invest in institutions, predictability and trust.”
ACGlobal is therefore advocating faster VAT refunds, more predictable rules, streamlined permitting, stronger digital government, transparent procurement and deeper integration of local suppliers into global value chains.
Foreign investment, Abrea stressed, should strengthen—not displace—Filipino enterprise.
“The right question is not only how much capital enters the country, but how many Filipino jobs, suppliers, technologies and productive industries are created because of it.”
The broader reform platform builds on Abrea’s policy work through Reimagining the World Without Corruption, Reimagining the World Without Climate Change, Reimagining the World Without Poverty, and Why Invest in the Philippines?
Together, they advance one proposition:
GOOD GOVERNANCE IS ECONOMIC POLICY.
ACGlobal is now inviting embassies, chambers, multinational companies, investors, financial institutions, economic zones, universities and policy organizations to join its upcoming international investment missions, policy roundtables, research collaborations and publication initiatives.
The agenda is clear:
MORE PAY. MORE INVESTMENTS. BETTER GOVERNMENT.
“The Philippines can be more investor-friendly without weakening local enterprise, more fiscally responsible without overburdening compliant taxpayers, and more globally competitive by building institutions that people and investors can trust.”
Let’s MAKE IT HAPPEN IN THE PHILIPPINES!
