Tacloban, North Cotabato town hike land tax

TACLOBAN CITY—This city is expected to increase its earnings from real property taxes because the city government has increased by 25 percent the land valuation for residential and commercial lots here.

City assessor Carlos Cordero said the real property taxes due to the higher property valuation was estimated to reach P8 million.

The present land valuation for residential and commercial properties range from P110 to P1,200 per square meter. Cordero said the last time the city government revised its land valuation was in 1999.  The city has 62,000 real property owners, both residential and commercial.

The city council approved an ordinance on Dec. 14 that called for a 25-percent increase in the valuation of real property in the city to be implemented starting January 2012.

Cordero said he had recommended a 100-percent increase in property valuation but the city council only approved a

25-percent increase.

But the council members had noted that imposing a 100-percent increase would not be justifiable, considering the global economic difficulties.

Jack Uy, president of the Tacloban Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, thanked the city government for not pushing through with its earlier plan.

In an earlier interview, City Mayor Alfred Romualdez said imposing a new tax rate in Tacloban was imminent considering that the city government would lose around P45 million in its internal revenue allotment (IRA) starting next year.

The reduction of Tacloban’s annual IRA of more than P400 million was due to the creation of 16 new cities. Three of the new cities are from Eastern Visayas—Catbalogan, Baybay and Borongan.

In North Cotabato, with the hope of increasing its tax collection before the year ends, Magpet town has offered prizes for good taxpayers, and amnesty for delinquent ones.

Mayor Efren Piñol has called on delinquent taxpayers in Magpet to avail of the town’s tax amnesty.

Municipal Ordinance No. 489 grants delinquent taxpayers a chance to settle their accounts with paying penalties and interests.

“I am appealing to all delinquent taxpayers to avail of the tax amnesty and settle your obligation to our treasury office the soonest possible time,” Piñol said.

“Your taxes will return to the community in the form of development projects like roads, bridges and other infrastructure needed to boost business activities,” he said.

Piñol said prompt taxpayers have a chance to win prizes as the treasury office announced a raffle promo before the year ends. He said winners would receive a dining set for first prize, sala set for second and dressing cabinet for third prize. Consolation prizes such as electric fan, electric iron, and rice cooker also await the lucky winners.

He said only taxpayers who have been religiously paying their obligations are qualified to join the raffle draw on Dec. 29 at the town’s gymnasium.

Magpet’s treasury office is open even on Saturdays and Sundays to accommodate late taxpayers. Edwin Fernandez, Inquirer Mindanao