The Philippine Tax Academy (PTA) is now in the process of designing courses for an online application-based microlearning platform, according to a recent press release.
This initiative is in line with its efforts to provide continuing education and training for officers and employees in state revenue agencies, which are readily available through smartphones and other portable communication devices.
Available trainings
A cost and time-efficient tool, the microlearning platform allows learners to have the option to choose online short term courses.
They can also opt for training modules that are most relevant to their current needs by utilising any form of handheld device available.
Aside from this ongoing project, the Department of Finance (DOF) Undersecretary Gil Beltran shared that the PTA has tied up with the University of the Philippines (UP) Law Centre in designing a capacity-building and legal training program for officers and employees required to undergo training at the PTA.
The Academy, which is under the supervision of the DOF, is also lining up a series of lectures on climate finance and tax reform as well as the fiscal regime in the mining sector.
Learning best practices
Earlier this year, in February, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III led the country’s delegation to the 7th meeting of the Philippines Joint Committee on Infrastructure Development and Economic Cooperation in Osaka.
While there, he also toured the National Tax College Osaka Training Centre to help visiting officials from the Department learn from the Centre’s best practices and experiences.
This was done so that they could adopt what they have learned and help transform the PTA into a premiere tax education centre and training hub for officers and employees of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Bureau of Customs (BOC).
This includes the Department’s Local Government Finance and the country’s local government unit (LGU) treasurers.
PTA campuses
The Undersecretary shared that the PTA is planning to set up permanent campuses in Tagaytay City in Cavite and another in the New Clark City at the Clark Economic Zone (CSEZ) in Pampanga.
For the Tagaytay campus, the PTA will be joining other government-run professional learning institutions such as the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP), the Philippine Judicial Academy (PHILJA) and the Commission on Audit (COA) International Training Centre in a lot donated by the city government.
Meanwhile, the plan of putting up another campus in the New Clark City, which is now being developed as the country’s first smart and sustainable metropolis, will likewise push through.
OpenGov Asia earlier reported on the Philippines and Japan partnering for a smart city development.
The report described the New Clark City as a new metropolis that will be prepared for the future and will be “driven by technology and the most forward-looking industries.”
