Talisay dad favors retention of cedula

CEBU, Philippines - For Talisay City administrator Ritchel Bacaltos, the Community Tax Certificate is essential revenue generating instrument for local government units, especially at the barangay level. 

Bacaltos, a former city councilor, said he does not agree with the observation of Association of Barangay Councils president and barangay Dumlog captain Charles Basillote that the cedula is already useless, and who favors for its abolition citing that it has become a useless piece of paper and no longer serves its purpose.

But Bacaltos said the lawmakers should find ways of strengthening the system of transaction instead of scrapping it and the proposal would result in reduction of their revenues needed to fund their projects.

“It’s an income revenue to the LGUs,” Bacaltos said, adding that half of the income made from the issuance of the cedula goes to the coffers of the barangays, while the city keeps the other half.

The cedula was first introduced to Filipinos by Spanish colonizers in the 19th century.

The collection of community taxes is provided for under the Local Government Code and the Omnibus Tax Code. 

Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares has proposed the scrapping of the cedula on the ground that it is no longer applicable as a form of identification.  (FREEMAN)