The Department of Finance (DoF) said on Tuesday that relevant training courses offered by the Philippine Tax Academy (PTA) would be required in the hiring or promotion of employees in its attached agencies starting next year.
In a statement, the Finance department identified the agencies as the Bureaus of Internal Revenue (BIR), of Customs (BoC) and of Local Government Finance (BLGF).
Basic PTA courses will also be required starting next year for the appointment of treasurers in local governments, it said.
According to Finance Undersecretary Gil Beltran, passing these basic Tax Academy courses are mandatory under Section 4 of Republic Act (RA) 10143, which established the PTA, and its implementing rules and regulations.
In his report to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez 3rd, Beltran was quoted to have said that the requirement covered all existing employees of the BIR, BoC and BLGF; all applicants to contractual or permanent positions in these bureaus; and all local treasurers.
Section 4 of the PTA law says “[a]ll existing officials and personnel of the BIR, the BoC and the BLGF shall be required to undergo the retooling and enhancement seminars and training programs to be conducted by the PTA. All applicants to the said bureaus shall also be required to pass the basic courses before they can be hired whether on contractual or permanent status.”
Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte approved the appointment of Dominguez as ex-officio chairman of the PTA Governing Board, and of BIR Commissioner Caesar Dulay and BoC chief Rey Leonardo Guerrero as ex-officio vice-chairmen.
Under RA 10143, the PTA “shall serve as a learning institution for tax collectors and administrators of the government and selected applicants from the private sector.”