By PNA and U.S. News Agency / Asian

The provincial government here on Monday launched its “Damayan at Serbisyong Publiko ng Bawat Pisong Buwis Mo”, aimed at increasing tax collection on real property in the province.

Administrartive Officer Cynthia Profeta, of provincial treasurer’s office, said that Governor David Suarez wants to increase tax collection in the province, which will be used for various development programs and ensure improving delivery of social services to the people Quezon.

Profeta said that aside from raising tax collection, the municipal and barangay governments would be given the chance to win cash prizes and various developmental projects.

She added that schools participating in the project would also have the chance to win cash prizes and development projects by encouraging parents of students and other residents in their respective communities to pay real property taxes.

Profeta, however, said that only the towns and barangays that could accumulate more than 60 percent of tax collection could join the contests.

She said that in municipalities, the contest is divided in two clusters: ‘Cluster A’ includes the 1st and 2nd class municipalities, while “Cluster B” includes the 3rd, 4th and 5th class municipalities. The municipalities were clustered because of the different classification and worth and value of real properties in each town and barangay, she added.

According to Profeta, the prizes at stakes are: 1st prize- P3,000,000 worth of projects; 2nd prize- P2,000,000 worth of projects; and 3rd prize- P1,000,000 worth of projects.

In the barangay level, the prizes are as follows: 1st prize – P150,000 worth of projects; 2nd prize – P100,000 worth of projects; and 3rd prize – P50,000.00 worth of projects for ‘Cluster A’ while in ‘Cluster B’ barangays, the prizes at stakes are 1st prize – P75,000 worth of projects; 2nd prize – P50,000 worth of projects; and 3rd prize – P25,000 worth of projects.

The participating schools could win 1st prize -P500,000 worth of one classroom; 2nd prize – P 300,000 worth of desks and tables; 3rd prize – P200,000 worth of instructional materials, Profeta said.

Profeta said that taxpayers could also win one brand new van and 10 tricycles.

Meanwhile, Governor Suarez vowed to prioritize the establishment of computer laboratory in public high schools, especially in far-flung municipatities of the province.

Suarez said students of schools in far-flung towns and barangays have difficulty finding computer shops unlike schools that are located in the urban communities where access to computers are readily available.

The governor said that he wants public high school students to be knowledgeable in using computers to be more competitive.

“If the students are equipped with skills and knowledge in the use of computers, they could easily find jobs after graduating from high school,” he stressed.

Suarez said that to ensure equipping high school students with skills and knowledte in the use of compouters, the provincial government of Quezon has implemented improvements on the computerization program of all public high schools in the province.

He said that last year, the provincial government of Quezon put up computer laboratory buildings in two public high schools which were equipped with computer units that are now benefiting thousands of students.