Search for the 1998 BIR Tax Wizards

June 25, 1998 REVENUE MEMORANDUM ORDER NO. 58-98 TO : All Revenue Officials and Personnel Concerned SUBJECT : Search for the 1998 BIR Tax Wizards I. OBJECTIVES In line with the 94 th Anniversary celebration of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, this Order is issued to: 1. Prescribe the policies, guidelines and mechanics for the Search for the 1998 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 , 1998 in line with the Search for the 1998 BIR Tax Wizards. 2. Target 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 are qualified to join the Search. 5. The Regional Offices and the Revenue Groups/Office of the Commissioner shall determine their respective contestant for the Search through the conduct of their own Tax Quiz (written). In relation 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 1998 BIR Tax Wizards on July 30, 1998 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 determined in Stage 1 of the Search. prLL 7. A Committee shall be created to prepare and finalize the questions for the Search on July 30, 1998, 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. 9. All the twenty-four (24) contestants shall receive P2,000.00 each plus a Certificate of Recognition. 10. The 1998 BIR Tax Wizards shall receive the following prizes: a. Cash Prizes P12,000.00 - for the Champion P10,000.00 - for the 1 st Runner-Up P 8,000.00 - for the 2 nd Runner-Up P 6,000.00 - for the 3 rd Runner-Up P 4,000.00 - for the 4 th Runner-Up b. Plaques of Recognition 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 22 , 1998 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 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 24 , 1998 . 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 to the Chief, Planning Division not later than July 27 , 1998 : a. Registration Form (format in Annex B) b. Score Sheet (format in Annex C) c. Questionnaires used by the Region's/Group's 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 1998 BIR Tax Wizards is indicated in Annexes D and E of this Order. V. EFFECTIVITY This Order shall take effect immediately. cdll LIWAYWAY VINZONS-CHATO Commissioner of Internal Revenue ANNEX A SEARCH FOR THE 1998 BIR TAX WIZARDS NOMINATION FORM I hereby nominate Mr./Mrs. _____________________, __________________ (Name) (Position/Salary Grade) of _______________________________________________ to be the contestant of (Office Assigned) _________________________ in the upcoming Search for the 1998 BIR Tax Wizards. (Office Being Represented) _____________________________ Signature Over Printed Name _____________________________ Office ANNEX B ANNEX C ANNEX D SEARCH FOR THE 1998 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 a 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 the 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 answers given. 9. The decision of the Committee shall be considered as final and irrevocable. ANNEX E CONTEST MECHANICS FOR THE SEARCH FOR THE 1998 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 , the Phase 2 questions in 30 seconds and the Phase 3 questions in 60 seconds . 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 only during Phase 3 of the Contest. 7. Wrong spelling shall be considered as an incorrect answer. 8. Only the final answer to questions shall be written on the chalkboards provided. 9. 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. 10. 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. 11. 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. 12. Coaching from the audience shall not be tolerated. Violators of this rule shall be asked to leave the Tax Quiz premises immediately. 13. 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. 14. 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. 15. The top five (5) contestants shall be declared as the 1998 BIR Tax Wizards, with the top scorer being the Champion and the remaining four (4) as runner-ups. 16. In case of a tie in any position, tie-breaker questions shall be asked until the tie is broken. 17. In case of questions/clarifications regarding the answers of the contestants, a Committee was constituted to decide on the validity of the answers given. The decision of the Committee shall be considered as final and irrevocable.