ALABEL, Sarangani – The provincial government’s technological innovation in real property tax collection is seen to enhance efficiency and more effective revenue collection.

The Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Unit under the Provincial Governor’s Office began the deployment of the Sarangani Automated Real Property Tax Assessment System (SARPTAS) on May 30 in Malungon and seven other municipalities.

“Revenue generation is focal in local governance and its modernization through automation is very imperative in promoting efficiency and transparency,” Norbert Feria, ICT Unit head, said.

“Under the administration of Governor Miguel Dominguez, the ICT unit was built to specifically address the need for the government of Sarangani to be more efficient and transparent through the use of modern technology,” Feria said.

SARPTAS is a property of the Sarangani provincial government as it was developed by its own solutions developers.

The total project cost for SARPTAS is P2.437 million. But Feria said the system can cost up to P89 million as quoted by private contractors.

In the Memoranda of Agreements signed by the municipal local chief executives and Dominguez, the province “will be providing one computer set to the second party (municipality), thru the Provincial Assessor’s Office (PASSO), to be used for the utilization of the said system.”

The ICT will also provide technical persons to educate and help the municipalities maintain the system.

Sarangani’s Real Property Tax System (RPTS) is a system that automates the transactional operations and records management of the assessor’s office.