AUTOMATED TAX SYSTEM. Daraga Mayor Victor Perete (left) visits the office of the municipal assessor on Monday (July 13, 2020) to check on its use of the automated revenue and tax collection through the Enhanced Tax Revenue Assessment and Collection System program. The municipal assessor’s office will deploy two teams to conduct field validations on buildings and other properties for them to collect proper taxes. (Photo by Mike dela Rama)
DARAGA, Albay – The municipal government here is now using an automated revenue and tax collection system through the Enhanced Tax Revenue Assessment and Collection System (ETRACS) program.
“The automation of transactions in tax payments and assessments of real properties including payments will improve the revenue collection of the local government,” Mayor Victor Perete said on Monday.
He said the automation of process at revenue collection points has a positive impact on the tax clearance time.
“There are three operating systems under ETRACS and these are: Collection System, Real Property Tax Collection System, and Business Permits and Licensing System. The collection module covers the complete cycle from assigning of accountable forms to collectors then to remittance and liquidation up to deposits,” he added.
The Real Property Tax module is the most complex component in the system due to the sheer number of transactions and the amount of data it captures.
For the business permits, the system has a highly flexible rule engine that can be customized for any kind of computation of tax, fees, penalties, discounts and requirements.
Perete said computerization of the local government unit's transactions is included in his priority programs.
“The system (ETRACS) and program can run on any operating system and can be used with any database. Aside from improving revenue assessment and tax collection, the system will also help reduce face to face transactions through online business permits transactions,” he said.
The full implementation of the automation is coupled with the revised Municipal Tax Code which was recently enacted by the Sangguniang Bayan and signed by the local chief executive.
Perete said local income declined due to the coronavirus disease 2019 Covid-19 health crisis. “The challenge is to raise revenue and restore local business condition," he said.
The municipal assessor’s office will deploy two teams starting July 13 to conduct field validations on buildings and other properties.
The assessor’s office is tasked by the mayor to conduct massive assessment of real properties and buildings in order to impose proper taxes. (PNA)
