Pasay City – Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno lead the ceremonial signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with two (2) academic partners, three (3) National Government Agencies (NGAs) and twenty-one (21) pilot local government units (LGUs), marking the collaborative efforts to advance Outputs 2 and 4 of the Local Governance Reform Project (LGRP), on 11 May 2023 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City.

“I expect that through this partnership, the Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), and Land Registration Authority (LRA) will forge strong linkages and harmonized data for uniform market values that shall serve as bases for valuation by various national government agencies and LGUs”, the Finance Secretary said.

The MOA formalized the agreement among the BLGF, BIR, and LRA as data-sharing partner institutions to develop Real Property Information System (RPIS) and Computer Aided Mass Appraisal (CAMA) with Geographic Information System (GIS) with the 21 prototype LGUs as beneficiaries.

“The partnership with the selected prototype LGUs would show significant enhancements to property tax collection mechanisms as the project aims to develop a property valuation database and information systems that will fundamentally reshape the way property taxes are assessed, collected, and managed across the country. This digital infrastructure will promote accountability, efficiency, and transparency in our local governance processes, ultimately leading to fair and equitable taxation for all”, Secretary Diokno added.

The ceremonial signing also formalized the agreement among the BLGF, UP Open University (UPOU), Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), and Local Government Academy (LGA) to strengthen the capacity-building interventions for LGUs and to professionalize local assessors by offering certification and degree courses on real estate management and other continuing professional development (CPD) programs, international twinning and faculty development initiatives, and capacity development and sustainability of the LGRP implementation.

BLGF OIC Executive Director Ricardo L. Bobis, Jr. congratulated the LGUs, NGAs, and State University and College (SUC) partners in advocating for fairness, efficiency, and sustainable revenue generation.

“Let us recognize the profound significance of this moment and the path we are embarking upon as we revolutionize the country’s property valuation and assessment practices. The LGRP and the proposed Real Property Valuation and Assessment Reform (RPVAR) bill will serve as our guiding lights throughout this transformative journey”, OIC Executive Director Bobis, Jr. underscored.

The LGU beneficiaries of the RPIS are (i) Tabuk City, Kalinga; (ii) Solsona, Ilocos Norte; (iii) Trece, Martirez City; (iv) Taytay, Rizal; (v) Tabaco City, Albay; (vi) Negros Oriental Province; (vii) Dauin, Negros Oriental; (viii) Cagayan de Oro City; (ix) Siquijor Province; (x) San Juan, Siquijor; and (xi) Province of Bataan.

The prototype LGUs of the CAMA with GIS are (i) Baguio City; (ii) Urdaneta City, Pangasinan; (iii) Cauayan City, Isabela; (iv) Tuguegarao City, Cagayan; (v) Abucay, Bataan; (vi) San Carlos City, Negros Occidental; (vii) Panglao, Bohol; (viii) Bohol Province; (ix) Pagadian City; and (x) Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay.