By Mary May A. Abellon
DIPOLOG CITY – The city government here through the City Assessor’s Office (CAO) in collaboration with the Sangguniang Panlungsod is now conducting a series of public hearings on the proposed revision of real property taxes in eight clustered barangays.
This undertaking is in response to the directive issued by the Department of Finance (DOF) urging the assessor’s office to effect revisions on the market values and assessment level including the classification of real properties in the city for the 2014 General Revision of Real Property Assessment as mandated by Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991.
The last revision on real property assessment made by the city government was in 2007.
“Supposedly, as provided under the law, the provincial, city or municipal assessor shall undertake a general revision of real property assessments every three years but it is only this year that we will make revisions from 2007,” Liza Rasonable of the City Assessor’s Office said in an interview with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA).
She added that for purposes of assessment, real property shall be classified as residential, agricultural, commercial, industrial, mineral, timberland or special including the buildings built thereon.
The said public hearing will conducted in four remaining clusters remaining clusters, namely: Barangays of Galas and Olingan on Sept. 1; barangays Punta, Sinaman and San Jose on Sept. 3; barangays Cogon, Diwan and Sangkol on Sept. 5; and barangays Central and Miputak on Sept. 8.
Taxpayers are also encouraged to pay their taxes before Jan. 31, 2014 to avail themselves of 20% discount on their real property taxes.
The public hearings gained positive response from the people who hope that their taxes will be judiciously used for projects that benefit the masses.