Parañaque sets business tax payments via courier

MANILA, Philippines — The extended deadline for the payment of local business tax (LBT) and other fees in Paranaque City will be up to today only, Mayor Edwin Olivarez said.

Olivarez said the deadline of payment of business taxes was supposedly last April 20, but has been extended to help local entrepreneurs who suffered from severe disruption of economic activities brought about by the COVID-19 crisis.

Since it was extended for three months, Olivarez said they are hoping that all business owners in the city can already pay their business tax without penalties and surcharges.

“As a result of the extension, no interest, surcharge or any form of penalty shall be applied on any business tax, fee or charge accruing on or due and demandable during the extension period,” the mayor said.

This covers all types of registered businesses, whether single proprietorships, partnerships, corporations or cooperatives. Businesses should be aware that the basis of the LBT is gross sales/receipts of the preceding year.

Lawyer Melanie Soriano-Malaya, BPLO chief, said the extended tax payment deadline would not be extended again.

Malaya warned that businesses which fail to renew their business permit would not be allowed to operate within the city.

It will be easier for businessmen to pay their LBT and other obligations without going to the city hall by applying the newly launched “all-in-one” technology-enabled delivery service for the pick-up, processing, and delivery of permits and licenses.

“Amid the general community quarantine, we are encouraging our local businessmen to stay at home and let our courier company partner do the work,” said Malaya, adding that the city government is doubling its efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19.

The city government has tapped Keri Delivery Inc. to roll out the program, making Parañaque the first local government unit to utilize an online-based courier and processing service for government transactions.

Through the Keri app, the public may be able to avail themselves of the “full concierge service” to limit physical transactions with the city hall.

The service also includes pick-up of documents, transmittal of picked-up documents to the appropriate office or department for processing, payment of fees and charges via manager’s check, and delivery of issued permits or documents back to client.