MAMBAJAO, Camiguin (PIA) -- To enhance the efficiency of real property tax mapping procedures, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-Camiguin held a ceremonial turnover of P2.8 million for the project on upgrading tax mapping and assessment of real property units in Mambajao on March 20 at the Mambajao Municipal Hall.

Through the DOST-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD)-funded MapX (Manage Your Assets, Properties, and Map It for Visualization) System, DOST targets improving the efficiency of the current process of administering real property tax, especially in digitizing tax maps.

"This endeavor is geared towards bolstering the efficiency of real property tax mapping procedures and fortifying the data network of LGU-Mambajao," Mayor Yñigo Jesus Romualdo said. 

The project is part of the implementation of the Smart and Sustainable Cities and Communities (SSCC) program with the introduction of the MapX System. Using their current labor and computer resources, the MapX System gives local government units interactive web interfaces for real property classification, sectioning, zoning, and other tasks. Real estate owners also receive a mobile application for property listings, tax obligations, payment notifications, and collections.

Rolyn Daguil, founder of the system, stated that the technology will be very helpful as there are 81 provinces, 145 cities, and 1,489 municipalities in the country, all mandated to collect real property taxes as a source of revenue. There are approximately 25 million land titles in the country, excluding non-tenured rights in the form of tax declarations, and 24.22 million housing units. Roughly 50 million real property units are required to pay taxes to the government."

Romualdo, OIC Municipal Assessor Roderic B. Montalba,  Arma G. Tangapa of the Municipal Planning and Development Office, Municipal Accountant Gilbert L. Grado, and DOST personnel led by Provincial Director DOST Provincial Director Joanne Katherine Banaag grace the turnover ceremony.

"This initiative marks a significant stride towards a more streamlined and efficient administration system, bringing us closer to a digitally-driven future," Banaag said. (RTP/PIA-10/Camiguin)