By Ayn Nunag with Ericson Guiao / PIO PAMPANGA
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – The provincial board is contemplating on granting a financial relief to delinquent real property taxpayers in the province under the revised terms and conditions of the new proposed Tax Amnesty Ordinance.
This was gleaned during the public hearing with the municipal assessors and treasurers at the Executive House, here.
Under the proposed Tax Ordinance, Real Property Taxpayers will be given relief from paying interests, surcharges, and other penalties accounted from their unsettled Real Property Taxes (RPTs).
According to Board Member Rosve Henson, when major calamities hit Pampanga, people are unable to settle their taxes resulting to a huge amount of uncollected RPTs.
“So ang nangyari, through the years, nag-accumulate yung mga obligasyon nilang amilyar. Syempre sa ilalim ng batas natin kapag hindi ka nagbabayad ng amilyar na sa lupa, sa properties, may mga penalties yan, surcharges, at interest” Henson said.
Consolidated report from the Provincial Assessors Office show that uncollected RPTs from previous years until December 2018 has already reached P1.7-billion.
Henson also mentioned that it is important that local government units (LGUs) also participate in the tax collection campaign.
“It is our obligation to pay our taxes but it is also our obligation to see to it that our taxes are properly spent” he stressed.
It can be recalled that last September, Vice Governor Lilia ‘Nanay’ Pineda, also asked the assistance of the barangay officials to assist their respective municipal assessors and treasurers in the collection of RPTs since the barangays have a bigger share.
Once the ordinance is finalized, people may start to avail their Tax Relief on January 1, 2020 to October 31, 2020.
Board Members Olga Frances ‘Fritzie’ Dizon, Benjamin ‘Benny’ Jocson, Rosve Henson, Ananias ‘Jun’ Canlas Jr., and Nelson Calara meet municipal assessors and treasurers to discuss the new proposed Tax Amnesty Ordinance.
