Stricter measures for business tenants

THE proposed provision in the Davao City's revenue code requires tenants conducting business in privately owned establishments to get a mayor’s permit first lest suffer penalties.

Based on the copy of the proposed ordinance which will amend the current revenue code of Davao City, or the proposed ordinance enacting the 2017 revenue code, no owners or operator of privately-owned market, malls, shopping center and/or food center and real estate leaser of commercial apartment shall allow any of its tenants to operate their respective businesses without first securing a mayor's permit required of them under existing laws.

The owners or operator of privately owned markets, malls, shopping center and or food center and real estate leaser of commercial buildings and commercial apartments will be required to furnish the city mayor or his duly authorized representative, in a sworn statement, on or before January 20 of the year, an annual list of business establishment/tenant in his/her establishment.

Owners or operators who fail to submit such list signed under oath shall be subject to payment of a fine not less than P1,000 nor more than P5,000, or imprisonment of not less than one month nor more than six months or both at the discretion of the court.

These provisions of the proposed ordinance have been approved in the committee on finance, ways and means and appropriations which already conducted seven committee hearings, and four public hearings in different districts.

However, it is not final yet since the deliberations on the proposed revenue code amendment are still ongoing before plenary of the 18th City Council.