The Philippine Tax Academy (PTA) and the University of the Philippines-Los Baños (UPLB) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) on October 19, 2023, to formalize a collaborative partnership on the capacity-building programs of Natural Resources Assessment and Valuation (NRAV) and Geographic Information System (GIS).
At the core of this collaboration is a shared commitment to further the mission of the PTA to equip revenue employees with the requisite knowledge and skills, transforming them into competent and effective public servants. This strategic partnership with the UPLB is intended to deliver the PTA’s educational and training initiatives in these crucial areas.
The decision to partner with UPLB stems from the recognition of the university’s unparalleled expertise in environment and natural resources management, as well as in eco-governance.
The UPLB College of Forestry and Natural Resources (CFNR), with its deep bench of experts and the influential role played by its training center for Tropical Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability (TREES), will be facilitating the programs. The CFNR-TREES, with its illustrious history, has been a beacon for both local and international audiences, offering a plethora of local and international continuing education courses, training, and study tours on a wide range of subjects concerning forestry, natural resources conservation, and ecosystem management and governance.
The MoA was signed by President Gil S. Beltran of the Philippine Tax Academy and Chancellor Jose V. Camacho, Jr. of the University of the Philippines Los Baños. This was witnessed by PTA-Local Governance Finance Institute Chancellor Ma. Teresa S. Habitan and CFNR Dean Marlo D. Mendoza.
The overarching objective of the capacity-building programs resulting from this partnership is to elevate the competencies of PTA personnel and their partners within the Department of Finance (DOF) concerning the crucial facets of natural resources governance and management tools. The programs will encompass various aspects, including methodologies for accounting and valuing natural resources, discussing their utility and economic significance, an exploration of the fundamental principles of GIS, and the practical applications of this technology in tax mapping. In July 2023, the first training on Integrated Natural Resource Governance
(INREG) was conducted through TREES and the Department of Social Forestry and Forest Governance.
The Philippine Tax Academy views this collaboration with the UPLB as a remarkable opportunity for growth and knowledge-sharing. As President Beltran said in his formal message during the signing of the MOA, “(at) the heart of this partnership lies a shared vision – a vision of excellence, of training and education that transform lives, and of a society where knowledge is a catalyst for positive change”. Dean Mendoza likewise echoes the importance of this collaboration as he sees this to be a groundwork for the development of knowledge and skills for PTA stakeholders. Both parties expressed concurrence on the strengthening of collaboration towards a common goal.#
(photos grabbed from Chancellor Habitan’s Facebook)