President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has reconstituted an inter-agency body to oversee the Local Governance Reform Project towards strengthening reforms in property valuation and assessment, improve local tax administration, and build the capacity of local government assessors.
This was contained in Administrative Order 49 signed on September 28.
The directive revived the Inter-Agency Governing Board to provide policy direction and oversight for the completion of local governance reform initiatives.
The LGRP, a joint initiative of the government through the Department of Finance and Bureau of Local Government Finance and the Asian Development Bank, seeks to reform property valuation policies, establish digital tax databases, improve LGU tax administration, and strengthen the capabilities of local assessors.
The initiative complements Republic Act 12001 or the Real Property Valuation and Assessment Reform Act.
The law mandates the automation of real property tax administration in LGUs and directs the BLGF to ensure full system automation nationwide.
Under AO 49, the President will chair the reconstituted IGB, with the secretaries of finance; economy, planning and development; budget and management; interior and local government; and information and communications technology serving as members.
The IGB includes the commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the BLGF executive director, representatives from the leagues of provinces, cities and municipalities, and representatives from a non-governmental organization and the private sector.
The BLGF will serve as the IGB Secretariat and provide technical and administrative support, and the board is required to convene at least twice a year or as needed.
Among the IGB’s key tasks are strengthening institutional and policy support for property valuation and implementing a property tax valuation database and information systems.
The board is also mandated to enhance real property taxation in selected LGUs, professionalize local assessors, and strengthen the capacity of local governments to administer property taxes.
The IGB will review the project’s strategy to keep it aligned with government policies and priorities, address issues arising during implementation, and monitor the commitments and deliverables of implementing agencies.
Before completing its work, the board must publish an accomplishment report detailing budget utilization, project evaluation, recommendations, and programs implemented under the LGRP and submit a copy to the President through the Office of the Executive Secretary.
The IGB will be dissolved upon completion of the required LGRP outputs and submission of its final accomplishment report, unless the President dissolves it sooner.