Law proposed to condone real property taxes of flood victims

Thursday, January 12, 2012

A CITY councilor proposed on Tuesday an ordinance that will condone the liabilities of delinquent real property taxpayers in the city, particularly those affected by the flashfloods in December.

Councilor Ramon Tabor said the measure will cover all real property taxes recorded by the City Treasurer’s Office.

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He said interests, penalties and surcharges on real property that has fallen behind the tax payments will be condoned.

Tabor said the proposed ordinance aims to ease the financial burden of property owners in the city amid current economic difficulties.

He said this also aims to help those who have yet to recover from the devastation of Tropical Storm Sendong last month.

“For real property taxes, payers should be identified through their addresses. Qualified are those living in areas that were directly hit by the flashflood like Cala-Cala in Macasandig. Not the entire Macasandig was hit so only those living in Cala-cala, Tibasak and other affected areas will qualify,” Tabor said.

Based on initial reports, Tabor said there are 18,000 houses that were destroyed during the flash floods, of which 5,000 were washed out while 13,000 were partially damaged.

He said some owners prefer not to return to their houses due to trauma.
“How can the victims pay if all of their belongings and personal properties were washed out?” Tabor asked.

He said one of the requirements needed would be a certification from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the barangay chief for the affected residents.

Tabor said the City Council will also request private and government institutions like the Social Security Services, Pag-IBIG, Cagayan Electric Power and Light Company, Cagayan de Oro Water District and others, to also give the same privilege to those directly affected by the flood.

Tabor emphasized that only the City Treasurer can determine the amount to be condoned. (With Michael Andrew W. Yu)