MEMBERS of the Benguet Provincial Board have approved on third and final reading the proposed ordinance granting the tax exemption for victims of Typhoon Ompong in the province.
Provincial Board Members Bernard Waclin and Juan Nazarro Jr. said the destruction of the sources of livelihood and buildings caused by the Southwest Monsoon including Typhoons Ompong and Rosita rendered the affected property owners financially incapable to pay their respective taxes for 2019.
The Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office disaster terminal report shows 4,350 families or 12,805 individuals were affected in Benguet province with 2,486 partially damage houses and 363 totally damage houses.
Local legislators said applicants are required to avail of the tax exemption requirements including a certified true copy of the tax declaration of the damaged building, a certificate from the Punong Barangay that the building covered by the tax declaration was damaged by the Southwest Monsoon and typhoon, and a certificate from the Municipal Risk Reduction Management Office and the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office.
The applications must be submitted to the Office of the Provincial Treasury from December 2018 to January 2019.
The committee on ways and means in coordination with the Office of the Provincial Assessor, Provincial Treasurer, the Municipal Assessors and the Municipal Treasurers in the different municipalities in Benguet are tasked to conduct information education campaign to be conducted from December 2018 to January 2019.
The board members added the tax amnesty however does not apply to real properties which have been disposed-off at public auction to satisfy tax delinquencies, or with pending cases in the courts and administrative bodies namely the Local Board of Assessment Appeals, Central Board of Assessment Appeals for real property tax delinquencies and Real properties of which the payment of tax delinquencies subject to compromise agreement.