THE Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) of Mandaue City had collected P1.5 billion in business taxes as of July 21, 2025, matching the total amount collected for the entire year of 2024.
Upon hitting the P1.5 billion mark, the BPLO now aims to reach P1.6 billion in total collections by year-end, following a consistent annual growth trend of around P100 million.
Mandaue City recorded P1.4 billion in 2023 and P1.5 billion in 2024, showing a steady growth in local tax revenues.
BPLO head August Lizer Malate, in an interview on Tuesday, July 22, attributed the sustained growth to two key factors: steady compliance from large taxpayers, including malls and manufacturing firms and the City’s intensified inspection and regulatory initiatives.
Joint inspection team
The City has recently implemented a joint inspection team, bringing together the BPLO, City Assessor’s Office and the Office of the Building Official. The coordinated approach not only enforces compliance but also streamlines the assessment for businesses and buildings.
“These inspections are not just meant to hunt down illegal activities. They are conducted for monitoring and validation to ensure that establishments have the necessary permits, and that buildings being rented for residential or commercial use are properly declared and structurally compliant,” Malate said.
This initiative also supports real property tax assessment, particularly in identifying undeclared or misused properties.
While the Assessor’s Office handles the property side, the BPLO focuses on verifying building use, business operations, and permit completeness.
Local revenue collection
Malate said this aligns with the directive of Mayor Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano to reinforce the City’s regulatory functions and boost local
revenue collection.
Malate also noted that the inspections have revealed cases where businesses operate more lines than initially declared, leading to adjustments in the taxes due.
He said while they do not see a significant increase in the number of businesses, inspections help uncover unregistered lines of business within existing establishments.
A major chunk of the city’s business tax income is collected during January’s renewal period, with revenues typically reaching P1 billion in the first month alone, about 80 percent of the annual business tax target.
This early revenue allows City Hall to promptly fund major infrastructure and public service projects.
For the remainder of 2025, the focus will shift to real property tax collection, especially from newly-identified properties and developments across the city, said Malate.
Mandaue currently has about 16,000 registered businesses. The number is expected to continually grow as more commercial spaces open and City Hall strives to improve the ease of doing business. / CAV