BIR and Ateneo sign MOU for academic cooperation and research collaboration

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Ateneo de Manila University recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for academic cooperation and research collaboration. The MOU was signed by Ateneo de Manila University President Fr Roberto C Yap SJ and BIR Commissioner Charlito R Mendoza on 23 March 2026 at the BIR National Office Building in Quezon City.

Under the new MOU, Ateneo and the BIR agree to cooperate on scientific, technical, and educational activities in the fields of mathematics, tax analytics, and data science, thereby facilitating capacity building, advancing research in these fields, and helping disseminate the results of this research around the country.

Specifically, both agree to conduct the following activities: collaborative academic research projects, capstone projects, and theses; presentation and publication of research results from said joint research projects; lectures, workshops, symposia to share information; and the exchange of academic information, materials, and datasets.

Also present at the signing from the BIR were Larry Barcelo, Deputy Commissioner, Legal Group; Teresita Angeles, Deputy Commissioner, Resource Management Group; Vener Baquiran, Deputy Commissioner, Operations Group, Ma. Rosario Charo Enriquez-Curiba, Deputy Commissioner, Information Systems Group; and Allan Geronimo, Technical Assistant, Office of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue.

Meanwhile, accompanying Fr Yap from Ateneo were Dr Richard Eden, Chair, Math Department; Dr Elvira de Lara-Tuprio, Professor, Math Department; and Dr Jeric Briones, Professor, Math Department. 

Both Dr Lara-Tuprio and Dr Briones serve as advisors to students in Ateneo's BS Applied Mathematics with Specialization in Mathematical Finance - Master in Applied Mathematics, Major in Mathematical Finance (BS/M AMF) program, including the group that previously worked an algorithm to detect ghost receipts under a partnership between the BIR and the Ateneo Math Department.