La Union to be Lone Province Implementor in R1, among 21 LGUs Nationwide of DOF's Local Governance Reform Project
By: William R. Garcia IV, GPC-OPAss | Photos By: PIO | Date: April 20, 2023
With La Union being the only local government unit (LGU) in Region I and one of the 21 LGUs chosen in the entire country for the implementation of the Local Governance Reform Project (LGRP) by the Department of Finance, Gov. Raphaelle Veronica “Rafy” Ortega-David signed the Memorandum of Agreement on April 20, 2023 at the Provincial Capitol, City of San Fernando, La Union.
In attendance were Provincial Assessor Engr. Arnulfo A. Cacho, the 19 municipal assessors, Executive Assistant II – OPG Dr. Eleazar Belgica and Irlyn Janette L. Bernardo of Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF) Regional Office 1.
The LGRP, funded by the Asian Development Bank for the period of 2020-2024, was created to help improve the local government revenue mobilization to build capacity of local government units to deliver public service and strengthen their local governance performance.
The BLGF is expected to provide technical supervision and coordination over the treasury and assessment operations; assist in the formulation and implementation of policies on local government revenue administration; provide consultative services and technical assistance on local taxation, real property assessment; and other related matters under their mandate on Reorganizing the Ministry of Finance (1987).
Provided under Section 200 of Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991, provinces, cities including the municipalities within the Metropolitan Area, are primarily responsible for the proper, efficient and effective administration of real property tax (RPT).
During the MOA signing, Engr. Cacho highlighted the support LGRP will be providing. He shared, “This project will provide the assessors support in terms of hardware for the advance tax mapping operations as the province and municipalities will focus on the hiring of personnel to conduct field validation and assist in the preparation of maps.”
Just in time for the implementation of the General Revision of Schedule of Fair Market Values in the province under Tax Ordinances 364-2022 and 399-2022, the LGRP Component 3 is projected to provide upgraded trainings to the assessors and technical assistance in the updating of Schedule of Market Value, Tax maps, assessment records and support the legislation to standardize the real estate valuation.
The program also aims to enhance LGU administrative instruments through utilization of advanced technology to amplify the capacity of assessors and treasurers.
The project has four components to complete: strengthened institutional development and policy support for property valuation, property tax valuation database and information systems implementation, enhanced RPT of LGUs, and professionalized local assessors.
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