a. For the Investment Incentive Group, the processing of claims shifted from an industry based system, where one claim was evaluated by one evaluator of the industry desk where the claimant was classified, to a process based system where claims are now classified according to which stage of the evaluation process they may be at any point in time. As such, a particular claim under this new system will now be processed by no less than four (4) Tax Specialists and will be reviewed by four (4) Division Heads before reaching the final review stage with the Office of the Deputy Executive Director.

While it would appear in paper that the new system will only contribute to more delays, the new CENTER administration is committed to ensuring that newly filed claims that will be processed under this new system will in fact move faster than the previous system.

This new system was primarily designed to protect legitimate claimants from corrupt employees and unscrupulous individuals who offer their services to facilitate the processing of claims. It cannot be denied that under the old system where the fate of a claim hinged on one Tax Specialist only, claimants were susceptible to such extortion activities. Under the new system, no employee or individual can ever block a legitimate claim from being released should the claimant refuse to come across or conversely, to facilitate the release to a claim ever for a hefty fee since the claim will have to pass through different Divisions.

b. In addition, a Manual of Operations for the Investment Incentive Group was recently prepared and approved by the Executive Committee. This Manual will assure claimants of a uniform application of relevant rules and regulations concerning documentary submission requirements and claim evaluation procedures.

Prior to 1998, the CENTER's Investment Incentive Group was operating without a formal Manual of Operations that resulted in so many infirmities and confusion among the claimants. The absence of the Manual of Operations in the past allowed favored enterprises to secure their Tax Credit claims with less stringent evaluation requirements as compared to other firms.

This encouraged the proliferation of so called "consultants" who offered for a fee their services to facilitate the early release of claims.

c. Critical control units of the CENTER such as the Verification and Authentication Division, the Policy, Research and Planning Division, the Management Information Systems Division, and the Post Audit and Monitoring Divisions have been activated to restore the integrity of the claim evaluation procedures which would ultimately redound to the interest of legitimate exporters.

d. In addition, two new offices – the Claimant Registration and Prequalification Division and the Office of Special Concerns were established. The first division mentioned was set-up to enable the CENTER to determine the eligibility of firms in filing claims for tax credits. The Office of Special Concerns, on the otherhand was designed to provide a venue where claimants can submit their queries and complaints.

e. The recently launched Claim Tracking System which was designed to afford claimants the opportunity to access on-line the status of their claims and monitor their progress and movement with the CENTER. More importantly, this system will allow better governance on the part of the claimant and provide greater transparency in the CENTER's operations thereby reducing the opportunities for graft.

f. The introduction of the on-line access system is consistent with the new CENTER's thrust of developing not only transparency in its operations but more importantly it means to foster a more active partnership between the claimants and the CENTER as it provides the venue for a more effective mode of communication that would reduce if not eliminate areas of misunderstanding and confusion.

g. Regular convening of the Executive Committee, the highest policy making body of the CENTER, in order to address with finality the numerous policy infirmities that continue to hamper the effective operations of the CENTER.

h. Computerization of the CENTER's operations is now being implemented for the purpose of enhancing operational efficiency and being about better response time to the claimants.

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