Barely three months to go: City still needs P2.5B to meet 2017 target

CEBU, Philippines — With barely three months before the year ends, the Cebu City Treasurer’s Office still has to reach its P7 billion target for 2017.

City Treasurer Tessie Camarillo said they have so far collected at least P4.438 billion from the city’s sources of income from January to September.

“We are hopeful that we will reach our target this year,” she told The FREEMAN.

Camarillo said her office is doing everything to reach the target to fund all expenditures of the city government.

Of the P4.4 billion collection this year, the city has collected P1.66 billion of business taxes fees from businessmen, especially that Mayor Tomas Osmeña has been vocal on his stand to intensify the collection on businesses that are operating without business tax permits.

Camarillo said the action done by Osmeña has led to the intensified collection of business taxes.

“Nakatabang ang efforts ni mayor kay daghang nianhi nga mobayad sila kay naay uban nga patulog-tulog lang. Ang importante karon, magpa-assess na sila sa ilang deficiency ug delinquency,” she said.

Camarillo said her office is examining the books of account and identify delinquent accounts for appropriate actions, adding that it would help reach the city’s target collection.

Camarillo said their office has also collected P365 million from the real property tax; P253 million from special education fund; P141 million from barangay fund; P35 million from the garbage fees; P3.4 million from garbage penalties.

If the city cannot reach its target, Camarillo said there are projects under the Annual Budget that will not be implemented.

The city government could have surpassed the target collection if it accepted the P3-billion payment from the giant developers that bought the 45.2-hectare lot at South Road Properties (SRP).

But Osmeña ordered the City Treasurer’s Office to refrain from accepting payments in August this year because the payment is “devoid of any legal and/or contractual basis” in relation to the “irregularly executed contracts” entered into by the city.

“During the previous administration, the subject parcels of land were prematurely sold to different buyers,” the mayor said in the letter.

In 2015, the city sold the 45.2-hectare lot at SRP amounting to P16.7 billion. Developers made a 50-percent down payment in August 2015 amounting to P8.35 billion.

Last year, the city got P3 billion which was the first installment from the developers, but Osmeña also ordered not to utilize the money since the mayor is planning to rescind the contract.  As of now, developers have paid P11 billion to the city.

But Camarillo said she is following the order of Osmeña who is eyeing to get back the city’s property from the buyers. (FREEMAN)