By Chino S. Leyco The country’s first-ever tax academy will conduct workshops, lectures and other training programs on top of offering courses in line with the goal of the Department of Finance (DOF) to produce a core of experts. Finance Undersecretary Gil S. Beltran said the Philippine Tax Academy (PTA) will be launched this year that will serve to develop and implement a curriculum covering technical aspects of tax collection, administration and compliance. The PTA curriculum will also include career orientation and development for civil servants, Beltran said. “The PTA is intended to develop a corps of tax and fiscal experts who will formulate and implement the fiscal programs of government to ensure attainment of the country's fiscal objectives,” said Beltran, who is also the DOF’s chief economist. “This helps to attain the government’s goal of a tax-to-GDP (Gross Domestic Product) ratio of 17 percent over the medium term,” Beltran said. “It will also aid the efficient tax enforcement that will minimize tax evasion.” The government’s current tax-to-GDP ratio is at 14.2 percent.  At last December's launch of the PTA official logo, Beltran said the academy will offer “lectures, seminars, workshops and other training programs designed to mold, develop, and enhance the skills and knowledge, moral fitness, efficiency and capability of tax collectors and administrators.” Under Republic Act No. 10143 signed almost seven years ago, the PTA “shall serve as a learning institution for tax collectors and administrators of the government and selected applicants from the private sector.” To be set up as a corporate body, the PTA is authorized under the law to enter into consortium agreements and joint venture agreements with the University of the Philippines, public and private universities and training institutions, Under RA 10143, “All existing officials and personnel of the BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue), the BOC (Bureau of Customs) and the BLGF (Bureau of Local Government Finance) shall be required to undergo the re-tooling and enhancement seminars and training programs to be conducted by the Philippine Tax Academy.” The law also requires “all applicants to the said bureaus”  “to pass the basic courses before they can be hired whether on contractual or permanent status.” The Board of Trustees of the PTA shall include representatives from the DOF, BIR, BOC, BLGF and three representatives from the academe with at least five years of teaching experience in reputable schools. Other Asian countries such as Japan, China, India, Australia, Singapore and Malaysia have their respective tax academies that also train tax and Customs authorities, as well as private individuals in taxation and finance assessment and management. Beltran earlier said that the Governance Commission for Government-Owned or – Controlled Corporations (GCG) will have to review the organizational and staff structure of the PTA. He said that the Department of Budget and Management decided the tax academy “must be (a) GCG-covered entity per Republic Act 10143.” The DBM had also decided that the initial funding for the country’s first ever tax academy would be sourced from the government’s support to GOCCs through the annual budget or the General Appropriations Act, Beltran added. Beltran said the DOF is planning to tie up with State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) such as the University of the Philippines (UP) and the University of Makati (UMak) in setting up the PTA.