Search for the 1999 BIR Tax Wizards

June 29, 1999 REVENUE MEMORANDUM ORDER NO. 49-99 TO : All Revenue Officials and Personnel Concerned SUBJECT : Search for the 1999 BIR Tax Wizards I. OBJECTIVES In line with the 95th Anniversary celebration of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, a Search for the 1999 BIR Tax Wizards shall be conducted. Relative thereto, this Order is issued to: 1. Prescribed the policies, guidelines and mechanics for the Search for the 1999 BIR Tax Wizards; and 2. Define the responsibilities of revenue officials and personnel involved in the Search. II. POLICIES 1. In furtherance of the professionalization thrust of the Bureau, and in order to keep the revenue personnel abreast of the changes in the tax laws, a Tax Quiz shall be conducted on July 30, 1999 in line with the Search for the 1999 BIR Tax Wizards. 2. Qualified participants of the Search are revenue personnel with Salary Grade of 17 and below. 3. There shall be only one (1) representative per Regional Office and one (1) representative per Revenue Group and the Office of the Commissioner, thus bringing to twenty four (24) the total number of contestants in the Search. 4. Only the contestants nominated by their respective Regional Director/Deputy Commissioner and Office of the Commissioner are qualified to join the Search. 5. The Regional Offices and the Revenue Groups/Offices of the Commissioner shall determine their respective contestant for the Search through the conduct of their own Tax Quiz (written). In relations to this, said offices shall prepare their own questionnaire to be answered in two (2) hours, which shall consist of twenty (20) easy questions (worth 1 point each), twenty (20) difficult questions (worth 2 points each) and ten (10) problem solving questions (worth 4 points each). 6. The Search for the 1999 BIR Tax Wizards on July 30, 1999 shall be conducted in two (2) stages. Stage 1 shall be the Elimination Stage which shall be conducted through a written Tax Quiz to be participated in by the 24 contestants. Stage 2 shall be the Final Stage which shall be participated only by the top twelve (12) contestants who qualified in Stage 1 of the Search. The top five contestants who will emerged from the contest, shall be declared as the 1999 BIR Tax Wizards. 7. A Committee composed of tax professors and practitioners from the private sector shall be created to prepare and finalize the questions for the Search on July 30, 1999, as well as act as judges who will validate the answers given by the contestants. 8. Questions for the Tax Quiz shall be based on the National Internal Revenue Code, as amended by R.A. No. 8424 and all pertinent revenue regulations issued to implement the same. 9. All the twenty-four (24) contestants shall receive P2,000.00 each plus a Certificate of Recognition. 10. Prizes for the Search for the 1999 BIR Tax Wizards are the following: a. Cash Prizes P12,000.00 for the Champion (net of tax) P10,000.00 for the 1st Runner-Up P8,000.00 for the 2nd Runner-Up P6,000.00 for the 3rd Runner-Up P4,000.00 for the 4th Runner-Up b. Plaques of Recognition for the five (5) BIR Tax Wizards c. Trophies for the offices being represented by the winners III. GUIDELINES 1. The Regional Offices, Revenue Groups and the Office of the Commissioner shall conduct their own Tax Quiz (written) not later than July 23, 1999 using the questionnaire they have prepared. 2. Based on the results of the Tax Quiz they have conducted, the Regional Directors and the Deputy Commissioners and the Office of Commissioner shall accomplish and submit to the Chief, Planning Division the Nomination Form (format in Annex A) and the Personal Data Sheet (with picture) of their contestant not later than July 26, 1999 . 3. If upon verification with the Personnel Division, the nominated contestant did not satisfy the Salary Grade requirement of SG-17 and below, said contestant shall lose the chance to join the Search. 4. For documentation purposes, the following documents shall be submitted by the Regional Directors and the Deputy Commissioners and the Office of the Commissioner to the Chief, Planning Division not later than July 28, 1999 . a. Registration Sheet (format in Annex B) b. Score Sheet (format in Annex C) c. Questionnaires used by the Region's/Group contestants 5. The Planning Division shall undertake the following activities in line with the Search: a. Prepare the necessary communications and materials to coordinate the conduct of the Search; b. Undertake preparatory activities for the Search; and c. Document the results of the Search. IV. CONTEST MECHANICS The Contest Mechanics for the Search for the 1999 BIR Tax Wizards is indicated in Annexes D and E of this Order. V. REPEALING CLAUSE This Order supersedes RMO No. 58-98 and all revenue issuances or portions thereof inconsistent herewith. VI. EFFECTIVITY This Order takes effect immediately. (SGD.) BEETHOVEN L. RUALO Commissioner of Internal Revenue ANNEX A SEARCH FOR THE 1999 BIR TAX WIZARDS NOMINATION FORM I hereby nominate Mr./Ms. ________________________________________, ( Name ) _________________________ of _________________________ to be contestant of ( Position/Salary Grade ) ( Office Assigned ) _________________________ in the upcoming Search for the 1999 BIR Tax Wizards. ( Office Being Represented ) _____________________________ Signature Over Printed Name _____________________________ Position _____________________________ Office ANNEX B Search for the 1999 BIR Tax Wizards Registration Sheet ANNEX C Search for the 1999 BIR Tax Wizards Score Sheet ANNEX D CONTEST MECHANICS SEARCH FOR THE 1999 BIR TAX WIZARDS Elimination Stage 1. The contestants shall be given a questionnaire consisting of twenty (20) easy questions worth 1 point each, twenty (20) difficult questions worth 2 points each and ten (10) problem solving questions worth 4 points each, the total of which is 100 points. 2. Reading and answering of the questionnaire can start only once the proctor gives signal to do so. 3. The contestants shall be given the chance to answer the questionnaire in two (2) hours . 4. After the two-hour period, writing of answer should stop and all questionnaires should be given to the person administering the examination. 5. Answering of questionnaire before and after the two-hour period shall result to a deduction of 10 points. 6. Wrong spelling shall be considered as an incorrect answer. 7. The participant who is found and proven to be cheating shall immediately be disqualified from the contest. 8. In case of questions/clarifications regarding the answers of the contestants, a Committee shall decide on the validity of the answer given. 9. The decision of the Committee shall be considered as final and unappealable. ANNEX E CONTEST MECHANICS SEARCH FOR THE 1999 BIR TAX WIZARDS Final Stage 1. The Final Stage is composed of three (3) phases which shall consist of ten (10) questions each. 2. For every correct answer, ten (10) points would be given for the Phase 1 questions, fifteen (15) points for the Phase 2 questions and twenty (20) points for the Phase 3 questions, the total of which is 450 points. 3. The contestants shall be given the chance to answer the Phase 1 questions in 10 seconds and the Phase 2 questions in 30 seconds. The time allotted in answering the Phase 3 questions shall vary and shall be announced by the Quiz Master before each question is read. 4. Questions shall be read twice by the Quiz Master. 5. Note taking shall be allowed only for questions involving computation. 6. The contestants shall be allowed to use calculators during Phase 3 of the Contest. 7. Only the final answer to question shall be written on the chalkboards provided. 8. The contestants can start writing their answer only after the first ring of the buzzer. After the second ring of the buzzer, writing of answers in the chalkboards provided should stop. The contestants would then be asked to show their answers first to the audience before the Quiz Master announces the correct answer. 9. The first instance that a contestant violates any of the aforesaid rules, he/she shall be given a warning. After the third warning, the contestant shall automatically be disqualified from the Contest. 10. A contestant who is found and proven to be cheating shall immediately be disqualified from the Contest. For this purpose, proctors are assigned to ensure that proper scoring and that no copying of answers and other forms of cheating shall occur. 11. Coaching from the audience shall not be tolerated. Violators of this rule shall be asked to leave the Tax Quiz premises immediately. 12. In order to ensure proper scoring by the tally masters, answers written in the chalkboard shall be erased only upon instruction of the Quiz Master. 13. The point system shall be used in the Contest, which means that points earned during the three (3) phases shall be added to determine the total score of each contestant. 14. The top five (5) contestants shall be declared as the 1999 BIR Tax Wizards, with the top scorer being the Champion and the remaining four (4) as runner-ups. 15. In case of a tie in any position, tie-breaker questions shall be asked until the tie is broken. 16. In case of questions/clarifications regarding the answers of the contestants, a Committee shall be constituted to decide on the validity of the answers given. The decision of the Committee shall be considered as final and unappealable.