Government issues guidelines on electronic payment for government transactions

DTI Press Release

Trade Secretary Peter B. Favila and Finance Secretary Gary B. Teves signed on 25 October 2006 guidelines on the government’s Electronic Payment and Collection System (EPCS).

“The guidelines will minimize face-to-face interaction in payment transaction, reducing corruption and red tape in the workplace and making it easier for citizens, businessmen, and investors to transact with government at any time and place,” Favila said.

Electronic capabilities will make payment and collection services quicker and more effective, according to Teves. “Electronic transactions will make it easier to monitor payment, which help us maximize government’s financial resources,” he said. “This, in turn, enables us to make more and better health and education services available for our people, as well as invest in infrastructure that improves business and creates jobs.”

The Joint Department Administrative Order (JAO) No. 02, Series of 2006 prescribing the “Guidelines Implementing RA 8792 on Electronic Payment and Collection System (EPCS) in Government” will allow electronic payments through credit cards, automated teller machines (ATMs), debit cards, stored-value cards, mobile wallet payments and kiosks, among others.

The guidelines will apply to all government offices that currently use or intend to use EPCS to collect fees, charges, assessment and revenues.

The JDAO, which takes effect today, also creates a Government Electronic Payment and Collection System Evaluation Team (GEPCSET). This team, composed of representatives from the Department of Finance (DOF), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Bureau of the Treasury (BTr), National Computer Center (NCC) and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), will evaluate, accredit and recommend the approval of applications for EPCS.

“EPCS enables more government agencies to implement end-to-end e-commerce transactions and is a concrete step towards bolstering our global competitiveness,” Favila said.

Full implementation of the E-commerce Act was one of the recommendations by government and industry leaders to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo during the National Competitiveness Summit held last 6 October 2006 in Malacanang.

Copy of the guidelines may be downloaded within the DTI business portal or at the Department of Finance website.