Summary
The Cebu Province 2027 Schedule of Market Values awaits regulatory approval after a two-year data-driven study, raising property assessments to market rates with a six percent cap on final tax adjustments.
Provincial Assessor Michelle Languido stated on May 22, 2026, that the revision complies with Republic Act 12001, which carries administrative sanctions for non-compliant local assessors unlike the previous law.
Following technical reviews, public consultations, and final approvals by the BLGF and Department of Finance, the new tax declarations will be generated in 2027 with full tax implementation scheduled for 2028.
CEBU Province’s proposed 2027 Schedule of Market Values (SMV) awaits final regulatory approval following a two-year scientific study that analyzed province-wide property sales data from 2020 to 2024.
Once implemented, the updated valuations will raise property assessments to reflect true market rates, although a mandatory six percent cap will prevent sudden spikes in final tax dues.
Provincial Assessor Michelle Languido said in an interview on Friday, May 22, 2026, that the completed valuation study adheres to the mandates of the newly enacted real property reform framework. The law protects taxpayers during the transition while leaving the Provincial Board (PB) with the authority to set the final assessment levels and tax rates within the legal limit.
Legal framework
The proposed revision is anchored on Republic Act (RA) 12001, or the Real Property Valuation and Assessment Reform Act (RPVARA). This framework mandates updating property tax valuations using a scientific, data-driven approach to reflect true market values. Unlike Republic Act (RA) 7160, or the Local Government Code of 1991, RPVARA carries administrative consequences.
“In the RA 7160, there is no sanction,” Languido said.
The primary difference is that RA 7160 gave local government units (LGUs) total autonomy to set property values, while RA 12001 standardizes these values to ensure uniformity, transparency and fairer tax rates. The national law, overseen by the Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF) and the Department of Finance (DOF), establishes a uniform real property valuation system across all LGUs nationwide to optimize local revenues through updated and standardized property appraisals.
Technical review
Local government assessors face strict administrative sanctions if they fail to implement the updated property valuations under the new law. Languido noted that while RA 7160 lacked penalties for non-compliance, the new mandate ensures provincial tax declarations reflect true fair market values.
The proposed 2027 SMV is currently under technical review by the BLGF 7. The provincial assessment office is supplying the required documents to address early findings from the regional bureau.
“It is already reviewed in the BLGF. It was already forwarded to the BLGF,” Languido said. “We collect it and we supply those lacking documents. It is not more on the valuation, but on the lacking documents of the findings.”
Approval and timeline
The proposal remains subject to final approval by the BLGF central office and the DOF secretary. Once approved, the values will be returned to the PB for the enactment of an ordinance, which will then undergo another round of public consultation and publication before taking effect.
The new tax declarations will be generated in 2027, with full tax implementation scheduled for 2028.
“The implementation is still in 2028,” Languido said. “It is a due process of taxation.”
Data and consultation
The valuation study began in March 2024 and involved collaboration with municipal assessors to collect accurate sales data and evidence. The assessment office also utilized data from the Philippine Statistics Authority
and consulted real estate appraisers and industry experts.
“It is not really that easy. It is not like walking in the park to get the values,” Languido said. “It is a study of which it has to do with analysis also. The sales value is always undervalued. So, you have to pick those that are accurate data and evidence.”
For the updated schedule, the office adopted a recommendation from the Bureau of Internal Revenue to classify beach lots separately from standard commercial and residential zones.
Public consultations on the proposed SMV drew strong stakeholder engagement. Languido reported that participation peaked during the third round of consultations, where discussions shifted from basic evaluations to specific tax impacts and potential dues.
“So far, the positive reactions from the stakeholders are overwhelming,” Languido said. “First and second, it is more on the evaluation. But then, the third, it is more on the tax impact and the possible tax due.” (CDF)