BAGUIO City Vice Mayor Edison Bilog is against the proposed tax increase in the city, citing a lack of basis for the marked hike in real property prices.
“I am against the increase of real property tax, it has no basis, it is merely based on what the city assessor's office want,” Bilog said.
“To increase now the real property tax is too burdensome to our tax payers as you could see the national government wants to increase the excise tax of various products add this to the real property tax increase it would definitely lead to increase in the prices of all the products including increase in monthly rentals of all boarding houses,” Bilog added.
Baguio City last increased taxes in 1996 and has been called out by the Department of Finance to adjust prices set for the city.
Mayor Maurico Domogan is backing a two-decade delayed tax increase in a bid to put land value here at a standard.
Today, the market value of a 100 square meter space at Session Road is pegged at P5,000 which pays an annual tax of P5,773. When the new market values are set, annual taxes for the same space will increase to P24,000.
At the Legarda Road area, which is also now a commercial spot, a 100 square meter lot pays an annual tax of P3,234 with the new values, tax will hike to P3,600.
For residential lots, a 100 square meter space now pays an annual tax of P25 with the valuations set, tax will now be set to P216.
Bilog said if there will be an increase, it should be at a lower rate should be implemented in a staggered basis, so the people won’t notice it.
Committee on Appropriations and Finance chairman councilor Elmer Datuin said the taxes have gone down considerably since the move was first made, saying the original tax hike was seen to be 35 percent, which has gone down to eight percent for commercial areas, while residential areas were initially pegged to spike to 12 percent, but now has gone down to six percent.
Aldermen are working to further lower the taxes and have assured a staggered payment scheme.
The vice mayor is also advocating to have public hearing held separately.
“Conducted in all of the barangays of the city, in order to get the sentiments of not only a few of our constituents in the city,” Bilog said.
A petition is now out opposing the tax hike in the city.