City to auction properties of delinquent taxpayers

September 23, 2019 Metro BLISTT

BAGUIO CITY – The City Treasury Office warned delinquent real property owners that the city government will be constrained to subject their properties to public auction once their unpaid real property taxes will not be settled the soonest.

City Treasurer Alex Cabarrubias said the City Assessor’s Office already submitted to his office the list of the properties of delinquent real property taxpayers which will be scheduled for auction anytime.

He said concerned taxpayers must visit the city treasury office soonest to settle their unpaid taxes so that their hard earned properties will not be subjected to the auction proceedings.

“We are ready to publish the list of the properties of delinquent taxpayers that will be subjected to auction anytime, thus we are making the last appeal for the said individuals to immediately settle their tax liabilities with the city government so that their properties will be removed from the list of properties to be auctioned,” Cabarrubias said.

Cabarrubias also announced that the city government is now accepting advance payments for real property taxes due next year to help people avoid the long queue.

He added that the city grants 20 percent automatic discount to taxpayers who pay their real property taxes in advance and in full for next year.

Under the local government’s existing policy, real property owners who pay their taxes in full in January will be automatically granted a 20 percent discount, 15 percent discount to those who pay in full in February, and a10 percent discount to those who pay in March.

No discount will be granted to those who opt to pay their real property taxes after March. Cabarrubias explained that taxes are the lifeblood of the government and taxpayers are mandated to pay their obligations with the city, considering that the taxes collected are plowed back for the welfare of the populace through the implementation of priority development projects and the enhanced delivery of basic services to the people, especially in the different barangays of the city.

Aside from real property taxes, the local government also derives part of its income from business taxes, fees and charges, internal revenue allotment (IRA), share from the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), share from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), among others.

The income component of the annual budget of the local government is used to fund the expense component of the annual budget to achieve the goals and objectives of the city in delivering the needs of the people in the barangays.

Dexter A. See, PIO-Baguio