City Govt. extends 20% discount to real property owners

by Alfonso T. Ruda

DIPOLOG CITY, JAN. 14(PIA)---The Dipolog City Government through its Treasurer’s Office is extending a twenty percent (20%) discount to all real property owners who will pay  their real estate tax for the whole year on or before January 31, 2013.

Ms. Juanita Arquiza, the current head of the Land Tax Division of the City Treasurer’s Office said the extension of 20% discount to the real property owners who will pay in advance their real estate tax for 2013 is in response to the letter-request of Mayor Evelyn Uy to Finance Committee of the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

According to Mayor Uy, through the discount, the taxpayers will only pay 80% of the amount of tax to be collected as mandated by law.

The City Government will implement starting this year the amended version of the 1997 Revised Revenue Code of Dipolog City.

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 233, 235 and 250 of Republic Act 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991 and Ordinance No. 12-232, known as An Ordinance Amending Tax Ordinance no. 96-001, Series of 1996 , basic tax on the real properties at the rate of 2% per annum and an additional 1 % for the Special Education Fund for Calendar Year 2013 will accrue on the first day of January which will be collected simultaneously.

Under RA 7160, Local Revenue Code will be amended every five years. The last time, that the Local Revenue of Dipolog City was in 1996 which was implemented in 1997. Since then, it is only now that the City’s Revenue Code has been amended.

Said taxes maybe paid in four (4) equal installments without penalty under the following schedule. First installment-on or before March 31, 2013; 2^nd installment, on or before June 30, 2013;third installment, on or before September 30, 2013; and the last installment will be on December 31, 2013.

Failure to pay the real property taxes for both the Basic Tax and Special Education Fund on the said dates will constitute a 2% penalty for each month of delinquency.

Along this line, Dipolog City Treasurer Sancen Caroro enjoined all real property owners or their administrators to pay their real property taxes at the Office of the City Treasurer, City Hall Bldg., Dipolog City. (JPA/ATR/PIA9-Zambo Norte)