“IMPLEMENT tax relief.”
This was the appeal of Bacolod Councilor Al Victor Espino to the City Treasurer’s Office (CTO) amid the non-implementation of the City Ordinance No. 953 or the Ordinance granting relief to delinquent real property taxpayers in the city.
Espino, chair of the City Council committee on ways and means, said Friday, December 3, that City Ordinance 953, Series of 2021, which he authored, had already lapsed into law.
The ordinance was passed on August 11, 2021 while the 30-day period given to the city mayor’s office to veto it had already lapsed. This meant that it is deemed valid, effective, and bound to be implemented, Espino said.
Espino noted that the previous tax relief ordinance or City Ordinance No. 936 generated P42,666,299.20 of additional income and collection in Bacolod City.
If Espino is to be believed, by extending such grant to the taxpayers, the City Government can generate more income and collection and this will also encourage delinquent taxpayers to pay their tax dues and arrears.
However, CTO head Arelene Memoria informed Espino that there was an instruction not to implement the said ordinance in the meantime, although she did not elaborate the reasons why.