‘More tax, more school buildings’

THE Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) paid P72 million in taxes to the Lapu-Lapu City Government last March.

With its latest payment, the MCIAA’s tax debt stands at P1.3 billion in real property tax and P300 million in business tax, said City Treasurer Elenita Catagcatag.

So far this year, Catagcatag said, the MCIAA paid P22 million in real property tax and P50 million in business tax.

“That is their first payment this year. We don’t know when the next payment will be,” she said in a news conference yesterday.

In total, the MCIAA has paid P200 million in real property tax since last year, the official said.

Mayor Paz Radaza has been asking the MCIAA to settle its debt so the City can use a portion of the real property tax to build school buildings.

Catagcatag said the payment of MCIAA last year helped increase the City’s revenue collection.

The City recently received an award from the Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF) for attaining the highest growth rate in locally sourced income from 2012 to 2014 among 16 cities in Central Visayas.

From 2012 to 2014, the City’s revenues from local sources grew by almost 21 percent.

The revenues were from real property and business tax, fees and charges, and economic enterprises.

Last year, the City earned P1.2 billion, which increased from P833 million in 2012 and P892 million in 2013.

Mayor Radaza received a plaque from the BLGF, which is under the Department of Finance, in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental earlier this month.

She lauded Catagcatag and the rest of the workers in the City Treasurer’s Office during the City’s 54th Charter Day last June 17.

Catagcatag attributed the City’s high income growth rate to their improved services for the business sector.

“We conduct tax mapping every year and we always improve our services,” said Catagcatag.

She said that the City has made it more convenient for business owners to get permits by streamlining processes.

Catagcatag said their target this year is to collect P1.5 billion for the general fund.

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