To resolve one of the major issues in reaching the desired outcome of improving LGUs’ competitiveness and ease of doing business is to rationalize the high cost of fees and charges of the LGUs to their clients.

     With this in mind, the DILG 10 spearheaded an Online Training-Workshop on the Rationalization of Fees and Charges and Updating of the Local Revenue Code to select LGUs on October 12 to 15.

     The activity aimed to enhance the technical skills and knowledge of the LGUs on the mechanics of the local impositions of local taxes, fees and charges and procedures for the rationalization of local fees and charges through the use of a toolkit developed by the Department of Finance.

     DILG-10 invited technical experts from the Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF) to guide the local functionaries in ensuring uniform procedure in setting reasonable fees and charges and recover the cost of services rendered.

     “There is a need to rationalize your [LGUs] fees and charges, along with the improvement of your processes, to attract more businesses which will then provide jobs to the people,” DILG Regional Director Arnel M. Agabe said.

     “We are all doing this as part of our recovery efforts in this pandemic,” he added.

     Moreover, the participants were also equipped with the knowledge and insights on the process, procedures and mechanics governing the updating of the Local Revenue Code of their respective LGUs.

     Invited participants are the Municipal Treasurer, Budget Officer, Business Permit and Licensing Officer, Building Official, Legal Officer, Zoning Officer, at least two (2) Sanggunian Members, and Municipal Local Government Operations Officer from the ten (10) select municipalities, namely: Baungon and Kibawe (Bukidnon), Calamba, Jimenez, and Plaridel (Misamis Occidental), and Balingoan Initao, Manticao, Libertad, and Sugbongcogon (Misamis Oriental).