MESSAGE

Since the passage of the Electronic Commerce Act in 2000, active steps were taken by the Government to provide a legal framework for the adoption of an electronic payment and collection system in receiving and accounting fees and charges required by law to be remitted to the National Treasury. A major step is the issuance by the Department of Finance and the Department of Trade and Industry of Joint Department Administrative Order No. 02, s. 2006 to implement the policy statement of the Electronic Commerce Act for the Government, its agencies and instrumentalities to employ electronic commerce in the conduct of government transactions. The creation of the Government Electronic Payment and Collection System Evaluation Team (GEPCSET), an inter-agency team composed of representatives from the Department of Finance, Department of Trade and Industry, Bureau of the Treasury, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and the National Computer Center, is another step forward to ensure that electronic payment and collection systems adopted by government entities will comply with the requirements of the Electronic Commerce Act.

As the Fiscal Agent of the government, the Bureau of the Treasury fully supports the adoption of an electronic payment and collection system as it will provide punctual and accurate reporting, accounting and reconciliation of collection of fees and charges by government entities and minimize, if not eradicate, the opportunity for mishandling of collections. Government entities will be able to save on operational costs, operate more efficiently and reach out to its clientèle through the various acceptable payment and collection systems available at the market. Moreover, an electronic payment and collection system will further improve the delivery of public services as it provides an additional window to our valued client, the taxpaying public, to access government services through seamless electronic connectivity, convenience and value for money and confidence in transacting with the Government.

These bold actions of the Government ensures our taxpaying public that collection of fees and charges are protected and judiciously utilized in accordance with law to achieve its goal of fiscal sustainability and, thus, provide opportunity to allocate more public funds for education, health, public infrastructure, and other basic services.

The establishment and adoption of electronic payment and collection systems would enable the Government and line agencies like the Bureau of the Treasury to effectively and efficiently manage the cash resources of the Republic of the Philippines with the end in view of attaining optimal levels of public debt while efficiently funding Government's developmental endeavors.

Roberto B. Tan

Treasurer of the Philippines