PNoy Inspects the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Tax Stamp Production Area, 20 July 2015

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• published: 20 Jul 2015
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APO Production Unit Security Printing Plant, LIMA Technology Center, Malvar, Batangas President Aquino inspects high security printing plant in Batangas (MALVAR, Batangas) President Benigno S. Aquino III on Monday inspected a high security printing plant here and witnessed the demonstration of the upgraded ePassport system. Upon arrival at the APO Production Unit, Inc. High Security Printing Plant, located at the LIMA Technology Center, the President was received by Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr., Batangas Governor Vilma Santos-Recto, and APO’s Chairperson Milagros Alora and President Armando Dimarucot, Jr. President Aquino proceeded to unveil the printing plant’s inaugural marker and inspected the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Tax Stamp Production Area, where he was briefed by BIR Commissioner Kim Henares. Afterwards, he witnessed the demonstration of the ePassport system, which was simulcast live to the Department of Foreign Affairs Consular Office in Parañaque City, as well as the Philippine embassies in Singapore and in Doha, Qatar. The ePassport booklet is made of more durable and higher quality materials and has security features to prevent fraud. The new process will shorten the waiting period for the issuance of passports from 15 days to 10 days for non-express processing, and from seven to five days for express processing. The APO (Asian Productivity Organization) Production Unit is a government-controlled corporation under the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO). It is one of three recognized government printers, along with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and the National Printing Office. After the program, Secretary Coloma and APO executives presented President Aquino his commemorative ePassport. Also present during the program were Batangas District 3 Representative Nelson Collantes, Malvar Mayor Carlito Reyes, Lipa City Mayor Meynard Sabili, and other officials of the PCOO. PND (ag) *** President Aquino lauds success story of APO Production Unit in Batangas (MALVAR, Batangas) President Benigno S. Aquino III on Monday praised the APO Production Unit, Inc. for transforming from being a government agency that “suffered from the highest forms of inefficiency” to one that is now “contributing to the national coffers”. “The Asian Productivity Organization (APO) Production Unit was first authorized in 1974 to undertake printing jobs for government agencies. Unfortunately, for more than 30 years, it was unable to fulfill its mandate and suffered from the highest forms of inefficiency,” President Aquino said during the unveiling of the inaugural marker of APO’S high security printing plant here. He noted that the situation then was so bad that the APO, a government-owned and -controlled corporation (GOCC), could not even solicit printing jobs from its fellow agencies in government. “Given the APO’s condition in 2010; the decision could have been made to cut our losses and start anew. Instead, we all chose the path of reform,” he said, adding that measures were undertaken to ensure that printing continued, among them streamlining and computerizing operations, enhancing the skills of the workforce, and acquiring new printing equipment. “Today, we can see that these efforts are literally paying off: from operating at a loss just a few years ago, to finally fulfilling your mandate and contributing to the national coffers,” he said, noting that in 2014, the agency turned over P2.7 million to the government. The APO, which acquired the three-hectare security printing facility at the LIMA Technology Center in Batangas in July 2014, currently produces excise stamps for the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Internal Revenue Stamp Information System. It has also partnered with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to improve the production of ePassports. The service level agreement forged between the DFA and the APO will help ensure that the current system runs smoothly, both through maintenance and technical support provided by APO, and through the printing facility, the President said. “I am certainly looking forward to seeing this plant’s operations in full swing, so that the rest of the country can benefit from APO’s services. That is, after all, what reform is about, whether undertaken in the national government or in an institution like this one,” he said. Meanwhile, Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. said the APO was established in Tokyo by eight governments of the Asia Pacific, including the Philippines, back in 1961 “to contribute to the sustainable economic development of Asia and the Pacific through enhancing productivity”. ( C O N T ... http://www.pcoo.gov.ph/archives2015/july20.htm#APO_Production ) ***