The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
The City Government of Zamboanga has tapped anew the services of the Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) to accelerate its shift towards digitalizing local government transactions.
Through the LANDBANK Link.BizPortal, the Bank’s web-based payment facility, residents of Zamboanga City’s 98 barangays now have an online payment option to settle fees, dues and charges to the LGU, which includes real property taxes and business permits.
“LANDBANK is accelerating the digitalization of public services nationwide through our secure and reliable digital banking products. We are working closely with local government partners, such as Zamboanga City, to deliver more efficient and convenient services,” said LANDBANK President and CEO Lynette V. Ortiz.
The Zamboanga City LGU welcomes the shift from solely accepting physical payments for local fees such as cash and cheques, to the adoption of a digital payment scheme for the convenience of the city’s residents.
“LANDBANK helps us move faster towards digitalization, ensuring transparency, accountability, and a more efficient delivery of services to our people,” said Zamboanga City Mayor John M. Dalipe.
Mayor Dalipe and LANDBANK Vice President Lina K. Pacio led the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to formalize the partnership on 18 July 2023 at the Zamboanga City Hall. They were joined by City Legal Officer Atty. Haydee Panganiban and LANDBANK Zamboanga (Main) Branch Head Assistant Vice President Laneli F. Elum, along with other LANDBANK officers.
Prior to this new partnership, LANDBANK has been servicing the various banking needs of the Zamboanga City LGU through its digital banking products and services.
This includes the online remittance of the LGU’s taxes via the LANDBANK Electronic Tax Payment System (eTPS), and the facilitation of fund transfer and bills payment via the LANDBANK weAccess, the Bank’s internet banking facility for institutional clients.
In support of the National Government’s push for digitalizing local government transactions, LANDBANK has already onboarded 449 LGUs as partner merchants to the Link.BizPortal as of end-June 2023.
For the first six months of 2023, the Bank’s online payment facility has facilitated a total of 4 million transactions with value amounting to P6 billion.