5,000 business owners told to pay taxes or else …

The Mandaue City government is encouraging at least 5,000 tax delinquent business establishments to pay their taxes before the Dec. 31 deadline or face having their businesses closed and being blacklisted in Mandaue, Cebu and Lapu-Lapu cities.

Regal Oliva, head of the City Treasurer’s Office, also called on delinquent taxpayers of real property taxes to pay their obligations before Feb. 15, 2012, or face auction of their properties by the city government.

Oliva yesterday said collectibles from delinquent taxpayers from 1993 to 2010 reach P35 million—P25 million for business establishments and P10 million for real properties.

With the passing of the Mandaue City ordinance “condoning penalties on unpaid real property taxes and penalties, surcharges and interest on business taxes for 2010 and prior years,” Oliva said the treasurer’s office could now start collecting from delinquent taxpayers.

Oliva warned that if business establishments or delinquent taxpayers continue to ignore the city’s demand letters, then they would suffer the consequences.

Oliva said delinquent business establishments would be closed and their owners blacklisted in Mandaue, Cebu and Lapu-Lapu cities.

“Once blacklisted, they wouldn’t be granted loans and couldn’t have a decent business,” Oliva said.

If a real estate property is subject to auction, the owner still has one year to redeem it. Reporter Jucell Marie P. Cuyos