QC taxpayers can now pay dues at banks

The Quezon City government has made an arrangement with six banks to accept over-the-counter payments for taxes and fees from the more than 500,000 real estate owners and business firms in the city.

Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr., Vice Mayor Herbert Bautista and treasurer Victor Endriga led city officials in signing a memorandum of agreement with bank officials yesterday.

"We are the first local government to do this alternative way of accepting payment, and I hope that eventually other local government unit will adopt the system, not only for convenience of taxpayers but also for more transparency and accuracy in the collection of taxes," Belmonte said.

Among the banks officials who signed the agreement for their accreditation to collect taxes were bank presidents and CEOs Gilda Pico, of the Land Bank of the Philippines; Reynaldo David, of the Development Bank of the Philippines; Omar Byron Mier, of the Philippine National Bank; Ricardo Balbino, Philippines Veterans Bank; Rolando Macasaet, Philippine Postal and Savings Bank; and Edwin Bautista, of the Union Bank of the Philippines.

Belmonte said the over-the-counter payment arrangement is part of the city government’s compliance with the e-commerce law. He also plans to set up payment arrangements through the Internet and automated teller machines.

Under the agreement, the banks will accept tax payments using an online collection facility upon presentation of tax bills. Land Bank will be the main depository of the city government’s online tax collection bank account. Other banks will remit their collection to the city government’s account in Land Bank.

A service fee of P25 will be collected for every tax bill presented to the banks.

Endriga said the new tax payment scheme is aimed at decongesting the long queues of taxpayers paying their realty and business taxes every year at city hall.

"This new alternative tax payment will benefit 65,000 businesses and the 440,000 real estate owners in the city," he said.

Endriga has been authorized by a city ordinance to make alternative modes of payment for taxes such as over-the-counter bank payments, through the Internet, and automated teller machines.

The ordinance, approved by Belmonte last year, recognized the use of electronic documents, although Internet banking may be used by the city government to facilitate the payment of taxes for the convenience of taxpayers. — Perseus Echeminada