Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Rodel Bontuyan stated on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, that Cebu Province reduced fair market values for limestone, washed sand, and gravel in late 2025 to ease construction costs.
Provincial Assessor Michelle Languido noted that property valuations were reassessed following damages from the Sept. 30, 2025 earthquake and typhoon Tino on Nov. 4, 2025, resulting in a 1.75 percent decrease in assessed values.
Former representative Pablo John “PJ” Garcia called for lower real property and transfer taxes, a review of sand and gravel fair market values, and the removal of the 10 percent environmental monitoring fee.
CEBU Province has already reduced the fair market values of key quarry materials and reassessed properties damaged by disasters, provincial officials said Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, amid calls for lower taxes and fees to ease construction costs.
Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Rodel Bontuyan said the fair market values of limestone, washed sand and gravel were reduced following a market survey and review conducted in 2025.
The revised values, issued in the fourth quarter of 2025, were limestone (P30 per cubic meter from P60), washed sand (P120 from P150) and gravel (P80 from P100).
“Basically, almost all the valuations went down when we computed them,” Bontuyan said in Cebuano.
He said the review was part of the Capitol’s regular program and was not undertaken solely in response to recent calls from former Cebu 3rd District representative Pablo John “PJ” Garcia to reduce taxes and fees.
Bontuyan said the Province has retained the reduced values rather than conduct another market survey, noting that a survey now could result in higher valuations because of increased fuel and construction costs.
“If we survey now, it will increase,” he said.
He added that quarry material prices are affected not only by provincial taxes and fees but also by extraction, processing and transportation costs, as well as changes in public works activity.
“What has become more expensive now is not because of provincial taxes. It is basically driven by the continuing increase in fuel costs,” Bontuyan said.
He acknowledged that reducing fair market values also reduces provincial collections.
“Definitely, there is an effect. When you lower the fair market value, your collections also go down,” he said.
Property reassessment
Provincial Assessor Michelle Languido said property valuations may be revisited when taxpayers believe the assessed value no longer reflects the property’s actual condition or market value.
This was applied to properties damaged by the magnitude 6.9 earthquake on Sept. 30, 2025, and typhoon Tino on Nov. 4, 2025, including houses, businesses, poultry facilities and other improvements.
“It is not really lowering the tax. It is the correct way of pegging the value of the property,” Languido said in Cebuano.
She said the Province recorded a 1.75 percent decrease in assessed values.
Languido said taxpayers who believe their property was overvalued may file a protest or complaint, after which the property may be reviewed and reassessed when warranted.
“Our basis is the fair market value. We cannot simply decide to make it lower. Our basis is a market study showing the property’s value,” she said.
She said the Province also consulted municipal assessors in Balamban, Pinamungajan and Barili regarding property valuations.
Languido said the Province continues to use property values pegged in 2022 and 2023, following support for the suspension of the implementation of Republic Act 12001, or the Real Property Valuation and Assessment Reform Act.
Garcia seeks more relief
Garcia has called for lower real property and transfer taxes and a review of the fair market values of sand and gravel.
He also proposed removing the 10 percent environmental monitoring fee on quarry materials extracted outside Cebu and brought into the province, saying lower charges could help ease construction costs.
“There is no need to wait for me to become governor, or for someone else to become governor. Our governor today can do something to provide relief to Cebuanos,” Garcia said in Cebuano.
Bontuyan said removing the environmental monitoring fee would require an ordinance from the Provincial Board.
“It would require an ordinance that would start with the Provincial Board,” he said.
Provincial Assistant Administrator Aldwin Empaces said the Capitol is also considering a broader review of the Revenue Code next year, which could include environmental fees, permits and economic enterprise charges.
“Once you open the Revenue Code for review, you have to revisit everything,” Empaces said.
He said any changes would still have to go through the legislative process. / CDF