Mayor again calls for property tax revision

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama reiterated his call to implement the revision of the Real Property Tax (RPT), saying the city has been deprived of what should be the actual revenue they get.

In an interview on “Ingna'ng Mayor” of the Sugboanon Channel, an online outfit handled by the city government, Rama again called for the implementation of the revised RPT.

The revised RPT will correspond to a higher tax rate for landowners which will also translate to a higher revenue collection of the city government.

As Rama reports back the result of the summit he attended in Taiwan, he reaffirmed his vision on "making the lives of the poor better", hence giving the "rich" an avenue to share. He said this is among the aims of the implementation of the revised RPT.

It was reported that the last revision of the city's RPT was in 2003 yet, Rama underscored the need to update the current RPT which is still undergoing second deliberation before the City Council.

"Kinsa may nabulahan? Kinsa may na alkanse? Wala ta miingon sa taxpayers? Pero ang sad-an ang gobyerno," said Rama.

He added that it is mandated in Local Government Code 7160 that the RPT rates must be updated in every three years. In context, it has been 21 years since the city's RPT has been revised.

"Now if we will not do that, we have deprived the people of what should be the actual capacity in terms of revenues, and that's the truth, I am not lying, it will not go into my pocket," said Rama.

The said proposed ordinance titled “An Ordinance enacting the 2023 Revised Property Tax Code for the Taxing Jurisdiction of the City of Cebu” is authored by Councilor Noel Wenceslao who is also chairman of the Committee on Budget and Finance.

It was also reported that Cebu City Council minority floor leader Councilor Nestor Archival Sr. opposed the implementation of the amendment of the RPT code, saying that there is no assurance that the same maximum collection of ?8.4 billion will still be reached since the taxpayers will not be able to pay due to the sudden surge. — (FREEMAN)