Press Releases on Bureau of Internal Revenue Activities and Operation

July 24, 1975 REVENUE MEMORANDUM ORDER NO. 46-75 SUBJECT : Press Releases on Bureau of Internal Revenue Activities and Operation In order to minimize conflicting or misleading press releases hence official embarrassments regarding Bureau of Internal Revenue policies, activities, operations and affairs, all officers and employees are enjoined to adhere to the following procedures: A. For the Central Office 1. Any revenue officer or employee who has newsworthy items which the general public should know shall prepare a draft of the proposed press release and send the same to the Tax Information and Education Division. Oral communication on this matter is not, however, totally discouraged. 2. The Tax Information and Education Division may inquire into further circumstances about the proposed press releases and shall prepare a final draft thereof. A short covering memorandum to the approving authority shall accompany the draft, mentioning therein, for records purposes, the initiating officer or officers. 3. All press releases shall have the approval of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue or Deputy Commissioner of Internal Revenue before they are released to the press. 4. If any press release appears in the metropolitan papers without the proper approval, the Chief, Tax Information and Education Division upon knowing of the news item shall immediately make a report in writing of such to the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, enclosing therewith a clipping of the news item. B. For Field Offices 1. Any officer and employee of a revenue region who has newsworthy items shall first seek the approval of his regional director before releasing the same to the press. All press releases encompassed herein in a revenue region shall bear the approval of the regional director concerned before publication. aisadc 2. A copy of the press release together with a copy of the document evidencing approval for publication shall be immediately furnished the Tax Information and Education Division who shall keep a proper file of these for ready reference. 3. A clipping of the news or feature item as published shall likewise be furnished by the Office of the Regional Director concerned to the Tax Information and Education Division giving the paper name and date of the publication if in a provincial paper or magazine. 4. The Regional Director concerned shall be responsible for reporting to the Commissioner in writing any press item about his region's activities and operations which have not been approved by him. C. When an official or employee desires to publish an article or book about Bureau of Internal Revenue operations and activities or an article or book about taxation in general under his authorship, co-authorship or by-line, the approval of the Commissioner shall first be secured before publication. A copy of the document approving the request shall be furnished by the requesting official or employee to the tax Information and Education Division. D. Press items which tend to glamourize achievements of individual personnel instead of the revenue service is discouraged as these tend to be misleading and detract from the Bureau's time-tested principle of teamwork. E. No officer or employee shall give out information about the Bureau to any outside if he knows beforehand that it will be used for publication. Action of this sort shall be approved by the Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner. F. This order is not intended to discourage initiative about informing the public on Bureau of Internal Revenue activities or operations, on the other hand, individual with initiative is most welcome but subject to rules herein set. G. Any revenue official or employee who violates this order may be subject to disciplinary action. H. This Order takes effect immediately. MISAEL P. VERA Commissioner of Internal Revenue TAN 1601-593-5