BY CHRYSEE G. SAMILLANO
An ordinance granting tax relief to delinquent real property taxes of the City of Bacolod for the year 2023 was approved by the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod on third and final reading yesterday.
Authored by Councilor Al Victor Espino, the ordinance will be known as “An ordinance granting tax relief to delinquent real property taxes in Bacolod City.”
The ordinance will cover residential, agricultural, commercial, industrial, and other classes of real properties including improvements, unless otherwise exempted by existing laws of the Republic of the Philippines, it said.
It will likewise apply to properties which are undeclared and subject to back taxes; those which were previously declared but whose real property taxes (RPT) have not been paid and have remained delinquent; those under warrant of levy; and those included in public auction but have not been purchased by private persons or entities, the ordinance said.
The collection of penalties, interest and surcharges on delinquent RPT (BASIC and SEF) are condoned, cancelled, and/or waived by the city, subject to the following terms and conditions: Delinquent tax payers who will pay in full from January 1, 2023 to March 31, 2023, will enjoy 100 percent condonation on all penalties, interest and surcharges on delinquent real property taxes, it said.
Those who pay in full from April 1, 2023 up to June 30, 2023, will enjoy 50 percent condonation on penalties, interest, and surcharges on delinquent RPT, it added.
The ordinance said that if the unpaid taxes accumulate to a considerable amount which will make it onerous for taxpayers to pay in one lump sum, the City Treasurer is authorized to allow the liquidation of the total unpaid taxes in installments pursuant to the schedule indicated below, provided that 50 percent of the total amount will be remitted to the Treasurer concerned, on the date the compromise agreement is signed by the delinquent taxpayer and the City Treasurer provided also that postdated checks will be issued for the remaining balance – unpaid taxes amounting to P200,000 to P500,000 (will be payable in installment payments up to 2 quarters) and unpaid taxes over P500,000 (will be payable in installment payments up to 4 quarters).
Non-payment on the day indicated in the compromise agreement will automatically put the taxpayer in default. The total balance of the delinquent RPT, as well as the entire amount of interest, surcharges and penalties will become automatically due and demandable and will be subject to collection, levy and public auction in accordance with the procedure set forth in Republic Act No. 7160, it added.*
