P2.12-B Unisys project gets BOI incentives

Unisys Public Sector Services Corp. (UPSSC) will be entitled to fiscal incentives following the Board of Investments (BOI) approval of its request for registration of its P2.12-billion computerization project for the National Statistic Office (NSO) under the build-transfer and operate scheme (BTO).

UPSSC had sought pioneer status registration from the BOI for its development of major support subsystems for the NSO Civil Registry System Information Technology Project (NSO CRS-ITP) under EO 226.

With the approval, the firm will be entitled to an income tax holiday for six years from October 2001 or actual start of commercial operations.

UPSSC can avail of a bonus year in under certain conditions, but the aggregate income tax holiday availment (basic and bonus years) should not exceed eight years.

Another incentive is for additional deduction for labor expense (ADLE) and allowance to import consigned equipment for a period of 10 years from date of registration, subject to posting of re-export bond.

UPSSC would also be allowed to employ foreign nationals. This may be allowed in supervisory, technical or advisory positions for five years from date of registration.

The UPSSC and NSO CRS-ITP is expected to improve the issuance of copies of certifications of birth, death, marriage and other similar documents.

Upon full implementation of the project, clients would be able to obtain their certificates within 30 minutes in the Metro Manila area and within two hours at the regional and provincial outlets.

The CRS-ITP would also provide inherent security features that would further minimize fraud and fabrication of civil registry documents.

A central facility would be established at the NSO Manila and 84 CRS outlets nationwide.

The project would digitize more than 110 million documents currently held by the NSO in its archives.