NORTHERN MINDANAO — The Provincial Government of Misamis Oriental expressed optimism that tax collections, and, subsequently, its economy, will improve in 2025, as the Electronic Business One Stop Shop (EBOSS) fully comes into form, and executed in the entire province.

EBOSS refers to the single common site or location, or a single online website or portal designated for the Business Permit and Licensing System (BPLS) of an LGU to receive and process applications, receive payments, and issue approved licenses, clearances, permits or authorizations.

Misamis Oriental Governor Peter Unabia said, at least, 21 municipalities, and the twin cities of Gingoog and El Salvador in the province are already EBOSS compliant. Only two municipalities remain non-EBOSS, he added.

“Business stakeholders in the province can already pay business tax and real property tax online,” Unabia said.

“Not only that, land owners abroad, in whatever country they are now, can already pay their RPT (real property tax) online, too,” Unabia said.

The Province of Misamis Oriental was recorded as the third largest economy in Northern Mindanao, accounting for 17.0 percent of the Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP).

The economy of the Province of Misamis Oriental expanded by 6.3 percent in 2023, a slowdown from the 9.1 percent growth in the previous year, but its economic growth, however, translated to an additional value of P9.92 billion to the economy, resulting to a total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) value of P167.35 billion in 2023, according to Maria Liza Bigornia, chief statistical specialist, Philippine Statistics Authority in Region 10 (Statistics for FY 2024 is not available).

Per capita GDP

“The per capita GDP of Misamis Oriental was valued at P170,037 in 2023, a 5.3 percent growth from its 2022 level at P161,550,” Bigornia said.

Per capita GDP represents the estimated individual contribution of the province’s residents to its economy.

Meanwhile, the economy of Cagayan de Oro City, the province’s capital, expanded by 5.8 percent in 2023, a slowdown though from the 9.4 percent growth in the previous year.

However, it’s economic growth also translated to an additional value of P15.08 billion to the economy, resulting to a total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) value of P276.86 billion in 2023, Bigornia explained.

“In addition, Cagayan De Oro City led the region’s economic growth in 2023, contributing 1.6 percentage points to the region’s 5.3 percent Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) growth,” she said.

Moreover, Cagayan de Oro City recorded the highest per capita GDP in the region at P358,879, marking an increase of 4.3 percent from the previous year, she added.

EBOSS is embodied in the Revised Joint Memorandum Circular No.: 01 Series of 2021, where the revising and expanding of Joint Memorandum Circular No. 01, series of 2020 or the “Streamlined Guidelines for the Issuance of Permits, Licenses, and Certificates for the Construction of Shared Passive Telecommunications Tower Infrastructure (PTTIs) occurred. As this developed, the National ID Kabalikat is partnering with rural institutions to increase financial inclusion through National ID system integration.

Key players

This pivotal undertaking brought together key players from the financial and private sectors, all focused on fostering the seamless integration of the National ID System to promote financial inclusion across the country, particularly in rural areas, Janith Aves, PSA 10 regional director, said.

“The core objective is to explore the transformative potential of the National ID in enhancing service access and streamlining identification processes across various sectors, Aves said.

The National ID aims to simplify transactions and make government and private services more accessible to all citizens, especially those in underserved rural communities.

“The key goals is to identify suitable services that could be enhanced or streamlined through National ID authentication, increasing the onboarding of applications from financial institutions and private sector partners who can leverage the National ID system, and drafting a comprehensive research paper to address the challenges faced by rural institutions while offering recommendations to guide future policies and improvements in the system,” Aves stressed.

The partnership between public and private entities marks a significant step toward achieving a more inclusive and accessible future, where financial inclusion and digital service access are available to all Filipinos, according to Aves.

“We look forward to continuing our collaboration with partners and rural institutions to build a robust National ID system that benefits everyone, especially those in rural areas. Together, we can create a future of greater financial inclusion, accessibility, and efficiency for all,” she added.