The Puerto Princesa City Government in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) launched Thursday its electronic payment system or e-system to give ease to the public who are making monetary transactions at the City Hall.
Councilor Maria Nancy Socrates, who represented Mayor Lucilo Bayron in the launching, said the shift towards electronic payment is needed by the city to open more opportunities for “economic, social and personal developments.”
“Economic and political power will be determined less by a country’s size than by its technological superiority,” said Socrates who quoted German economist Klaus Schwab.
“This is all very good for the Philippines. Small as it is, provided that we harness the ingenuity of our youth for the country to achieve technological superiority,” she added.
Patrick Wesner, USAID deputy mission director, said the e-payment scheme will enable the citizens to pay government fees, taxes, and business permits easier, more efficient and with less waiting time.
The system will improve transparency and reduce the city government’s vulnerability to corruption or misuse of government funds, Wesner added.
He said the system can help cut down the city government’s operational cost and streamline its workflows.
“These savings and more from e-payments can be used to enhance public service for citizens. The last e-payment was surged back in August [2018] in Tagbilaran, [Bohol], and what I need to know or what I am looking forward [to] are what the real results of the e-payment system. So, together I hope to learn that over the next years or months as we go forward. The U.S. government remains a committed partner to the government of the Philippines and the private sector in advancing inclusive economic growth in Puerto Princesa, [its] region, and beyond,” Wesner said.
The public can now access the city government’s online payment services through http://puertoprincesa.ph/ by clicking the e-payments icon at the top right-hand corner of the page.
The available services offered at the moment are the Business and Real Property “Online Billing and Payment, and Tax Declaration Number Verification.”
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