Longer working hours for Makati tax collectors

The Makati City government announced Wednesday that the office in charge of receiving applications for business license renewal and tax payments would be extending its operating hours until Jan. 18.

Mayor Jejomar

Erwin S. Binay said the Makati business permits office and real property tax division at city hall would be open from Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. up to 10 p.m. and from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends.

For those paying their realty tax, satellite payment centers will be set up in the barangay (village) halls in the following areas: Barangay Urdaneta on Jan. 10, Barangay Magallanes on Jan. 11 and 12; Barangay San Lorenzo on Jan. 14; Barangays Bangkal and Pio del Pilar on Jan. 15; Barangays Tejeros and San Antonio on Jan. 16; Barangays Guadalupe Nuevo and East Rembo on Jan. 17; and Barangay West Rembo on Jan. 18.

The payment centers will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. At the same time, Binay warned taxpayers that late payments would be subjected to a surcharge of 25 percent and a penalty of two percent per month. Early birds, on the other hand, or those who settle their dues before the Jan. 20 deadline would be entitled to a 10 percent discount should they pay their annual realty taxes in full and five percent for those who opt to settle it in four installments.

Last year, business and real property taxes made up the bulk of the city’s revenue collection from January to November. Of the P11 billion total collection, business taxes accounted for P5.72 billion while real property taxes reached P3.71 billion, Binay said.

According to city treasurer Nelia Barlis, the total revenue was six percent higher compared to the collection during the same period in 2011.—Jaymee T. Gamil