To avoid tax charges, Traders should tell the city when they fold up businesses

CEBU, Philippines - Acting Cebu City treasurer Ofelia Oliva advised the businessmen to report to her office whenever they stop operating their business, otherwise City Hall will continue to impose taxes on their business establishments.

Many representatives of businessmen who are operating in Cebu City went to Oliva’s office last Friday requesting her to clear them from any payment of taxes because the business establishments that were subjected to taxes by City Hall were already closed or their machineries had already been sold.

Oliva said the concerned businessmen should inform the City Hall, through the city treasurer’s office when they want to retire from their business or they will no longer use their machineries to avoid being charged with the corresponding taxes anymore.

A bank representative explained to Oliva that some of their machineries had been sold already that is why he asked to exclude them from the list of delinquent taxpayers, but Oliva asked him to submit documents to prove his claim.

Machineries, buildings and lands are subject to real property tax.

Another woman also asked Oliva to clear her name from the list of delinquent taxpayers because her business had been closed already several years ago, although she failed to inform the City Hall about it.

Oliva announced that City Hall will soon auction several pieces of real properties in Cebu City whose owners are delinquent in paying their taxes to the city.

Once nobody will participate in the auction, the law provides that the subject properties are automatically considered purchased by the local government units who conducted the auction, although its owners are still given a one-year redemption period.

The former CitiCenter Commercial Complex in barangay Kamagayan is among the prominent properties that were forfeited in favor of Cebu City after its owners failed to redeem it during the one-year period.

“Kadtong uban nga wala pa makabayad may higayon pa sila nga i-settle ang ilang obligasyon aron dili maapil sa subasta ang ilang properties,” Oliva told The FREEMAN. – Rene U. Borromeo/BRP (THE FREEMAN)