THE Lapu-Lapu City Government awarded last Friday night the 25 companies and businesses in the city that “sincerely and continuously” paid their taxes.
Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa, Cebu received the Datu Lapu-Lapu Award, a special award for being the number one tax payer for nine consecutive years.
“We still have them (Shangri-La) as the hall of famer, that’s why the City gave them the Datu Lapu-Lapu Award,” said Mayor Paz Radaza.
For this year, JPark Island Resort and Waterpark, Cebu was number one on the list of the top taxpayers in Lapu-Lapu. It was the first time JPark landed on the top spot, the mayor said.
They were followed on the list by LEAR Automotive Phils. Inc., and General Milling Corp.
The fourth to 10th top taxpayers in the city are Fairchild Semiconductor (Phils.) HongKong, Taiyo Yuden (Phils.) Corp., Muramoto Audio-Visual Phils. Inc., Aboitiz Power subsidiary Advent Energy Inc., Taipan Development Inc.
(Gaisano Island Mall Mactan), Oikonomos International Resources Corp. (Movenpick Hotel Mactan Island Cebu), and Super Metro Gaisano Lapu-Lapu.
Radaza said they based the selection on the total amount the companies paid to the City and their promptness in paying, according to records of the City Treasurer’s Office.
The other top taxpayers in the 11th to 20th spots are Megaworld Corp., Far East Noble House Inc. (Gaisano Grand Mall of Mactan), Plantation Bay Holding Corp./Plantation Bay Hotel Inc., MSY Holdings Inc./MCF Property Ventures Corp. (Bayswater Homes), Seascape Resort Inc., Funai Electric Cebu Inc., Timex Philippines, Waterfront Airport Hotel and Casino Inc. (Mactan), Filinvest Group of Companies, and Robinsons Land Corp.
The top 21st to 25th taxpayers who were also awarded were Prohomes Development Inc., Jollibee/Freemont Food Corp., MSM Cebu Inc. (Precision Spring), Yamashin Cebu Filter Manufacturing Corp., and Aboitiz Land Inc.
All the top taxpayers received trophies.
Their names were prominently displayed on a Walk of Fame during the awarding ceremony, which took place in the Hoopsdome and featured a Broadway and Hollywood theme. Singers Jed Madela and Morisette Amon performed.
Radaza said the business owners who paid their taxes early will get a discount as an incentive.
“This is our way of saying thank you to the taxpayers. So it’s a tribute that we give to them every year. The City of Lapu-Lapu is so proud of them,” Radaza said.
Vice Mayor Marcial Ycong, the city councilors and the department heads of the City Government were there to welcome the guests.