P12 million taxes collected from Manila flood control projects

MANILA, Philippines — The Manila government has collected P12 million in taxes from the contractors of completed and ongoing flood control projects in the city.

“As of this morning, an additional P4 million has been collected,” Mayor Isko Moreno said yesterday following his Sept. 4 announcement of collecting P8 million in taxes.

City officials would be going after the contractors of over 300 flood control projects in Manila, Moreno said.

“I am giving them ample opportunity. Statements of account were issued to their respective offices and companies. I hope they will comply,” he said.

Contractors are encouraged to avail themselves of the city government’s general tax amnesty, allowing them to pay their taxes and other fees without interest and surcharges until Dec. 31.

Non-compliance will lead to the filing of charges and elevation of the matter with the Philippine Contractors’ Accreditation Board, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Budget and Management and Office of the President, Moreno said.

Based on information from the sumbongsapangulo.ph website, there are 213 “finished” flood control projects from 2022 to 2025 and 112 “ongoing” projects in Manila, all of which did not secure permits from the city government, Moreno said.

Around P247 million in taxes from contractors of flood control projects will be collected by the city government, an amount that Moreno described as “very minuscule.”