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Where public finance meets Python

Plain-language writing on local treasury work and public finance, free tutorials (Python for treasury staff and Civil Service exam vocabulary), a free real property tax calculator, and notes from building ALTOS, by a treasury worker who builds software.

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What you'll find here

Blog

Stories and notes on public finance, treasury work, cybersecurity and building software.

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Tutorials

Free, beginner-friendly lessons: Python for treasury work and Civil Service exam vocabulary with practice questions.

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ALTOS

The Automated Local Treasury Operations System, a working treasury system for Philippine local treasuries, written in Python.

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Free tool

Real Property Tax Calculator

Work out the basic real property tax and the Special Education Fund on any assessed value, with the discount or interest, and see how much goes to the province, municipality, barangay and school boards.

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Latest posts

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PersonalNovember 5, 2026·6 min read

So Close to Alibijaban Island

On Hermano Puli Day, I sat alone on someone else's bangka in San Andres, Quezon, and looked out at an island I have loved for almost two decades. This time, I could not cross.

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Browse by topic

Software & ALTOS

Building ALTOS, Python, and software that keeps public money accountable.

5 posts →

Public Finance

Local treasury work, collections, disbursements and the rules behind them.

2 posts →

Cybersecurity

A plain-language series on staying safe online: passwords, scams, home networks and ransomware.

1 post →

Personal

The farm, the province, and life beyond the office.

2 posts →

Python for Treasury Work

All lessons →
Lesson 5Intermediate · 25 min

Make a tamper-evident log with HMAC

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Lesson 4Intermediate · 25 min

Build a simple RCD summary with pandas

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Lesson 3Beginner · 20 min

Compute real property tax penalties with Decimal

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Project

All about ALTOS →
The ALTOS sign-in page

For Philippine local treasuries

ALTOS Automated Local Treasury Operations System

PythonSQLiteDesktop appWeb appHMAC-SHA256 audit logAES-256 backupsNIST CSF
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About the author

Ambrosio “Butch” U. Mahinay

Ambrosio “Butch” U. Mahinay, MPA

Public Administration SpecialistLocal Treasury PractitionerCivic Tech Developer

He is a public administration practitioner, author, and self-taught software developer in Quezon Province, Philippines, with over 15 years in government service, more than 13 of them in local treasury work since April 2013. He has earned 7 Google Professional Certificates and 3 Specializations on Coursera. He writes, teaches and builds software in his personal capacity, outside official working hours.

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