Treasurers, assessors in Kalinga join study to improve property tax collection; “With efficiency and better policies, much can be done” - OPT-Kalinga

CANDON CITY, Ilocos Sur — Kalinga is seeking to improve its real property tax assessment and collection system to increase locally generated revenues that can fund essential public services and development programs.

The Office of the Provincial Treasurer of Kalinga (OPT-Kalinga), together with local treasurers and assessors, participated in the Real Property Tax Compliance and Impact Study (RPTCIS) conducted by the Bureau of Local Government Finance-Cordillera Administrative Region (BLGF-CAR) on October 30, 2026, at Hotel Van Gough in Candon City, Ilocos Sur.

The RPTCIS is a study that examines how local government units (LGUs) assess and collect real property taxes, including their level of compliance, the accuracy of property valuations, and the effectiveness of existing tax administration policies.

It also aims to identify problems in property taxation and determine areas for improvement, particularly in connection with updates to the Schedule of Market Values (SMVs), which serves as the official basis for determining the value of properties for taxation purposes.

Accurate and updated property valuations are important to ensure that property owners pay the appropriate taxes and that local governments do not lose potential revenues because of outdated or incorrect assessments.

During the activity, participants discussed the importance of maintaining updated property records, improving information management, analyzing tax collection performance, and identifying gaps in taxpayer compliance.

The discussions also emphasized closer coordination between treasury and assessment offices to ensure consistent property records and more effective tax administration.

OPT-Kalinga said the participation would help strengthen the technical capacity of municipal treasury offices, particularly in revenue monitoring, collection strategies, and compliance with existing policies and regulations.

Provincial Treasurer Ma. Theresa G. Basitao continues to lead efforts to improve local treasury operations through the conduct of Local Treasury Operations Evaluation (LTOE), technical assistance to municipal treasurers, and monitoring of local revenue collection and expenditure performance.

“With efficiency and better policies, much can be done. We go for studies like this to improve our ways of collection and campaign as well as find means to increase local revenue for our locality,” said Basitao in an interview.

Real property taxes are an important source of locally generated income for LGUs. When properly assessed and collected, these taxes provide additional funds for infrastructure, health, education, disaster response, and other essential services.

OPT-Kalinga expressed thanks to BLGF-CAR and Regional Director Marilou Gamboa for providing technical support and opportunities for local treasury and assessment personnel to improve the efficiency, transparency, and accountability of real property tax administration.