Senators Bam Aquino and Pia Cayetano have called on the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to halt the mandatory implementation of its digital Registration Seal Badge, expressing serious concerns that the embedded QR code exposes sensitive personal information of online sellers and content creators ahead of the October 31,2026 deadline.
Aquino urged the tax agency to suspend the requirement to consult with affected taxpayers who fear that scanning the badge’s QR code reveals full legal names and private registration details.
“We urge the BIR to temporarily suspend the Registration Seal Badge requirement. Let us first listen to the concerns of online sellers and content creators,” Aquino said in a social media post.
Cayetano echoed similar privacy concerns and confirmed that she has escalated the issue to the National Privacy Commission (NPC), pressing involved agencies to resolve security vulnerabilities before enforcing the rule.
BIR clarifies scope and denies penalty threats
Responding to the legislative pushback, BIR Commissioner Charlito Martin Mendoza clarified that the registration seal is required strictly on pages and accounts used for commercial or professional purposes, not on personal social media profiles.
Mendoza noted that the BIR is actively coordinating with the NPC to fortify data privacy protection. He also reassured taxpayers that no penalties will be imposed solely for missing the display deadline during the current extension period.
The Registration Seal Badge was launched as a compact alternative to publicly displaying a full Certificate of Registration (COR) on digital platforms. Designed for e-commerce merchants, freelancers, vloggers, and digital service providers, the free badge, issued via Revenue Memorandum Circular 99-2026, allows customers to verify a vendor’s tax status via QR code.
As of October 14, over 52,700 taxpayers have obtained the digital badges ahead of the updated end-of-month deadline.