CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City government is losing about half a million pesos worth of taxes every year because of at least 96 properties whose owners cannot be ascertained and therefore cannot be taxed.
City Hall is planning to auction off the properties if their rightful owners won’t turn up and pay their dues.
Some of these properties have not been taxed for about 30 years now.
City Treasurer Office head Veronica Morelos said her office recently found out about the problem after asking the real property tax division to generate a report on delinquent taxpayers.
Under CTO and the City Assessors Office records, the owners of these properties cannot be located. These properties are in Barangays Apas, Banilad, Basak Pardo, Basak San Nicolas, Inayawan, Quiot Pardo, Poblacion Pardo, Suba Pasil, Talamban, and Tisa.
“Kana siya actually based sa record, wala na siya mapaningli kay wala ta’y tawo nga ma-pinpoint kay wala man, labeled as Mr. X man na. Dugay na nga properties, way back 1980s pa na,” Morelos said.
She said her personnel are now doing field work to counter-check whether or not these properties have owners. If it turns positive, she will direct them to settle the unpaid taxes.
If the owner can no longer be found, they will post a notice that the property is subject for auction.
“Notisya. Kining yuta-a wala gabayad og buhis. I-subasta,” the notice, which was also shared on the official Facebook page of Mayor Tomas Osmeña yesterday, reads.
Morelos said after counter-checking, they will post the notice immediately at the properties whose owners can no longer be found.
This way, owners will be compelled to show up to settle their respective tax delinquencies.
“Mao na karon to make that rightful owner to appear, atong butangan og notisya ang property para mo-come out siya in the open nga siya ang mo-claim. Of course, he has to prove that he is the rightful owner,” she said.
Osmeña is giving at least three months for the owner to show up, otherwise the city will auction off the property.
“These notices will be placed on those properties. If the owners do not come forward in 3 months, the City Government will begin the process of seizing and auctioning off the properties,” a portion of his Facebook post read.
As this was written yesterday afternoon, the post earned more than 500 reactions from netizens, many of whom are supportive of the move.
Osmeña has been very vocal in cracking down tax evaders saying he can’t tolerate this bad attitude of not duly paying taxes to the city.
“The same will apply to delinquent businesses. If you pay your fair share of taxes, no problem. But if you don’t, then soon your business will be none of your business,” his Facebook post added. (FREEMAN)