Village chair hits Manila dads for lost tax share

A barangay (village) chair in Manila is questioning a city council resolution that allowed another barangay to receive the real property taxes (RPT) from areas supposedly under the jurisdiction of his village.

“Can our barangay boundaries be (altered) again by a mere resolution without consulting our constituents or conducting a referendum?” said Jaime Adriano of Barangay 719, Zone 78, in the city’s 5th District, in letters sent May 30 to the city accountant, city assessor and Commission on Audit.

Adriano noted that six years ago, the Harrison Plaza commercial center was also transferred to another barangay’s jurisdiction by a council resolution.

This time, Resolution No. 23 allows Barangay 720 to receive the RPTs in areas which Adriano said actually belong to Barangays 719 and 721.

Passed in January, the resolution would allow 720 to get the taxes from some of the city’s major establishments, like Ospital ng Maynila, Manila Zoo, Manila Harbor Square, Folk Arts Theater, Philippine Navy Headquarters, Manila Yacht Club, Ninoy Aquino Stadium and Rizal Memorial Stadium and Sports Complex.

This was after it set Barangay 720’s boundaries on Quirino Avenue, Manila Bay, Pablo Ocampo Street and Adriatico Street.

Adriano also sent a similar letter to the Manila director of the Department of the Interior and Local Government but has yet to receive a reply.

But Councilor Marlon Lacson, author of the resolution, dismissed Adriano’s move as politically motivated.

“For the past years, the RPTs were not released. (Another) barangay filed a claim in the City Council and we granted it because there was no opposition,” he said. “Now that the RPTs will be released, he (Adriano) is running after them and contesting the release after the fact.”

“We were not consulted,” Adriano maintained, noting that he was identified with former Mayor Alfredo Lim because he served as consultant during his term.

Adriano said the move resetting Barangay 720’s boundaries might be aimed at putting that village in a position to exercise jurisdiction over the planned reclamation area on Manila Bay.

In March, Councilor Ali Atienza also wrote the Office of the Ombudsman after several barangay chairs from Districts 1 and 3 complained that their share in the RPT worth P52 million was released to only one barangay, No. 128 in Zone 10 of District 1.