CAGAYAN de Oro City Councilor George S. Goking today said the proposal condoning surcharges and penalties of delinquent taxpayers in the city is still under study.
Earlier, the Council’s committee on ways and means chaired by Goking has discussed the resolution filed by Councilor Lordan G. Suan, requesting mayor Oscar Moreno to grant tax amnesty to some business owners and establishments for their delinquencies in the payment of business and real property taxes.
Suan said delinquent taxpayers should be incentivized to pay their taxes through the removal of obstacles and difficulties such as penalties and surcharges.
While, Suan said the real property taxpayers would be given a condonation of all delinquencies which are older than five years.
“The proposal is good during this time of pandemic as people are suffering,” said Goking.
But, Goking said that there are existing ordinances that need to be studied and possibly repelled.
“It can’t be easily imposed but still we need to follow the procedure,” Goking said.
He said that he just following the local tax code of 2015.
"Condonations are very favorable to taxpayers but as long as they have documentary support and follow the Bureau of Local Govt Finance guidelines," he said.
This condonation is general as it needs to submit the required documents, Goking stressed.
He said that It needs further study because it might be that the surcharges and penalties were incurred before the pandemic, he said.
Goking said that the Local Finance Office has its guidelines on the matter.
He said the committee agreed to review ordinances relative to the proposal. (SP/BB)
