Belmonte lauds RP's first 'tax masters'

MANILA, Philippines - Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte congratulated the first batch of graduates of a master’s degree in public administration, major in taxation, at the Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU) in Manila.

LPU graduate school dean Dr. Victor Endriga said Belmonte, himself a graduate of LPU, was exceptionally jubilant considering that majority of the graduates were Quezon City Hall employees. Other graduates came from various local government units and national government agencies.

A brainchild of Endriga, who is also the concurrent Quezon City treasurer, the course provided the students varied tax collection and revenue generation issues.

He said the new course is expected to boost tax campaign efforts of national and local government tax collection agencies.

“Taxmen must be fully geared to the pace, problems and intricate needs of the community so the government coffers will be adequately filled to respond to and be responsible for the fulfillment of social needs,” Endriga said.

Among the first batch of graduates are, namely: Alfredo Aguilar Jr., Ramon Roces Arevalo, Malik Beruar, Arnel Cleofas, Wendy Ma. Josefa Dequilla, Enrique Donasco Jr., Ma. Cleofe Gorospe, Ruby Rosa Guevarra, Luzviminda Luacan, Jon-jon Manalac, Josephine Nieto, Eduardo Quintos XVI, Veronica Rey, Alberto dela Cruz Samson, Ma. Cristina Sanin, Rosernie Santos, Antonio Saur and Joselito Sinocruz.

Halfway through the course, a student was promoted to acting municipal treasurer of a major town in Rizal province, another as assistant treasurer of yet another town in Rizal; while a third was recruited as financial adviser of a city in Metro Manila.

The new graduates are expected to overhaul the tax collection and revenue generation structure of government to stretch the fiscal agencies’ development capacity. – Perseus Echeminada