A LOCAL lawmaker has questioned the alleged disproportionate garbage collection fees in Cebu City.
City Councilor Mary Ann de los Santos divulged during the ongoing public hearing on the proposed tax increase for next year on Monday, Nov. 28, 2022 that establishments with small land areas will have to pay more.
Based on the current schedule of fees, establishments with a land area of 1,000 square meters (sqm) are required to pay P8,000 per year, while those with only 100 sqm will have to pay 1,650 a year.
However, de los Santos pointed out that under the proposed increase in garbage collection fees, an establishment with a land area of 1,000 sqm would have to pay P10,000 annually or an additional P2,000, but an establishment with 100 sqm will have to pay P5,000 or P3,350 more than what it is currently paying.
This huge disparity pushed the councilor to question the proposed increase, the Public Information Office reported.
“There is a huge disparity. The land area is big and you are only adding P2,000, while those who have a small land area pay P3,000 more. We need to get the wisdom out of this,” she said in a mix of Cebuano and English.
Thus, the council asked City Treasurer Mare Vae Reyes to revisit the calibration for the garbage collection fees.
Councilor Noel Wenceslao, chairman of the budget and finance committee, acknowledged de los Santos’ concerns, adding that his committee will revisit the proposed rates and help in crafting a better scheme for the garbage fee increase.
Meanwhile, Councilor Joel Garganera suggested that the City Government should increase the garbage collection fees of restaurants and food establishments, saying they are among the major waste contributors in the city.
“They produce so much garbage every day and yet they are only paying so little based on your proposed increase. I think they should be given a more reasonable increase as well,” he said.
Garganera, who chairs the committee on environment, added that increasing the fees on this type of establishment will make them appreciate the City’s initiatives, especially on environmental concerns.
Councilor Phillip Zafra also suggested that organizers of special events like concerts or religious activities pay a garbage collection fee during their permit application.
“Naka-notice man gud ko nga (I notice that) with more big events coming and with the last event [the recent music concert at the South Road Properties], daghan kaayong garbage nga na-collect (there was so much garbage collected), unya dili ra ba sila ang manglimpyo (and they did not do the clean-up). So I think this should also be included as well,” said Zafra.
Reyes concurred with the observations and recommendations of the councilors, and she will present a different garbage collection fee matrix in the next public hearing.
“Yes, I agree na dili sab bitaw proportional and will make sure to come up with a better scheme and present to you during our next session,” Reyes said.
Opposition
Meanwhile, two former Cebu City officials are against the plans of Mayor Michael Rama’s administration to raise tax rates.
Dave Tumulak, former city councilor and mayoralty candidate, said now is not the right time to increase taxes, especially since many continue to struggle from the effects of the coronavirus disease pandemic, super typhoon Odette and the rising inflation.
“Common sense ra man unta. Wala pa gani ta kabangon sa ekonomiya, pun-an pagduot sa kalisod (ang) mga tawo,” he said.
(It should be common sense. Many people have not even recovered from their economic hardships, now we’re adding to their burden.)
Former Cebu City administrator Floro Casas Jr., for his part, said the Office of the Mayor should have weighed things carefully before it pushed the proposed revised tax rates to the council.
“The Executive Department should have completely thought out the effects of an increase to real property taxes before submitting it to the council for approval. No doubt, the increase is excessive,” he said in a mix of Cebuano and English.
The two former officials said they have nothing against an increase in real property tax, but not as big as the requested increase of 7,400 percent for residential and 18,650 percent for commercial property taxes.(IRT, PAC / PJB)