MAYOR Mauricio Domogan hailed the public’s participation in the city government’s call for the prompt payment of their tax obligations.
Domogan said in a statement Tuesday the good turn-out of residents and businessmen paying their tax dues like real property taxes and renewal and registration of business permits is an indication of the public’s excellent sense of responsibility.
The prompt payment of their tax obligations will enable the city to again meet if not surpass its revenue targets and ensure smooth delivery of public service and implementation of priority projects.
In return, he assured that the City Government will do its best to make the process as easy as possible.
On Thursday, City Treasurer Alex Cabarrubias said the tax payment process went smoothly despite the volume of taxpayers who came to settle their accounts.
He said they employed some minor changes in the procedure of the payment and are closely monitoring their effects either for permanent adoption or more fine-tuning in the processes.
He noted some problems in the aspect of the payment of real property taxes caused by the slow computer system but assured that this will be addressed immediately.
City Permits and Licensing Division Chief Allan Abayao said they have not encountered any serious problem in the processing of business permits during the opening day.
As of Friday morning, they have processed close to 300 regular and special business permits.
Both offices expect clients to continue flocking to City Hall until the deadline for tax payment set in March.
The City expects more than 20,000 regular business permits to be processed this year with a target collection of P300 million in business taxes and P100 million in realty revenues.
As in the past years, discounts are given to early realty taxpayers amounting to 20 percent tax cut to those paying in January, 15 percent in February and 10 percent in March.
Taxpayers will also get the chance to win prizes in the annual raffle bonanza to be drawn in April.
In renewing business permits, taxpayers should proceed to the one-stop shop section to claim printed 2018 assessment. Owners must issue an authority to their representatives while messengers or bookkeepers must submit a list of clients and authority or special power of attorney from the owners to the business tax filing division and claim the assessment the following day.
Those without printed 2017 assessment or if assessment has issues, applicants can proceed to the business tax assessors for resolution or printing. All unresolved issued will be referred to the city treasurer.
Once assessment is finished, the applicants may pay the taxes and fees to the tellers by showing first official receipts for residential garbage or if not, the garbage fee will be included in the assessment.
The next step will be the payment of fire code fees to the Bureau of Fire Protection tellers then process to the permits and licensing office to claim business permit and/or business plate upon submission of the following: barangay, health, fire clearances, market clearance if business is in the market and real property tax clearance if prompted by the system.
For new businesses, applicants must proceed to the licensing office section also at the one-stop shop and fill up the application form which will be forwarded simultaneously to the following offices for processing: city planning office, fire department, city environment office, city health office, city building and architecture office, campaign and investigation or the city treasury office.
Upon clearance of the said offices, the applicants must proceed to the one-stop shop for the assessment, payment of taxes and fees and finally go back to the licensing office to claim business permit.
Inquiries on the status of applications may be coursed through the licensing office. (PR)