Bontoc, Mountain Province –”Taxes are the life blood of government.”
This was highlighted by Local Revenue Collection Officer III Wilson Calaoa from the Office of the Municipal Treasurer during the Municipal Peace and Order Council (MPOC) meeting on August 20, 2024, in Barangay Guina-ang, Bontoc, Mountain Province.
He went on to say that just as blood is necessary to sustain life in a human body, tax revenue is viewed as the lifeblood that sustains governmental activities and for the government to fulfill its obligations to citizens.
With this, he encouraged the real property owners to pay their taxes on time to avoid penalties.
Poblacion Barangay Kagawad Maria Matib, a retired Auditor from the Commission on Audit (COA), supported the pronouncement of Calaoa as she explained that taxes provide the essential financial resources that allow a government to operate and fulfil its responsibilities. She added that the taxes collected go back to the community through government services, programs and projects.
Poblacion Punong Barangay Atty. Florence Taguiba agreed with the statements of Calaoa and Kagawad Matib highlighting the government’ need for tax revenue to be collected reliably and consistently.
With this, she encouraged her fellow barangay officials, along with the other attendees in the said meeting, to campaign to the public, especially to the real property owners, to pay their respective Real Property Tax (RPT) in full and be entitled to prompt and advance payment discounts.
A 10% discount on the current RPT is being granted to those who pay promptly from January to March. Taxpayers are also entitled to a 20% discount for advance payment if they pay between November to December of the current year their RPT that is due for tax collection for the ensuing year.
Sangguniang Bayan member Dan Evert Sokoken supported the assertion of PB Taguiba on encouraging the public to avail of the discounts for prompt and advance payment of RPT.
Meanwhile, Glendon Pawen of the Office of the Municipal Assessor reminded new owners of real property to prioritize the updating of officials records, including registration of transfer of ownership and updating of the tax declaration with the Office of the Municipal Assessor located at the First Floor of the Bontoc Municipal Capitol.
With real property records in order, he said that real property owners would be able to receive official notices and pay the correct taxes on time, and penalties would be avoided.
It is to be noted that to aid the financial burden and bring comfort to the residents travelling to the Bontoc Municipal Capitol to transact, the Bontoc LGU, through the Office of the Municipal Treasurer and Office of the Municipal Assessor, have always been bringing their services to barangay whenever there are community gatherings and events. The Office of the Municipal Assessor deliver and distribute copies of documents on real properties to the owners, and make verification. Meanwhile, the Office of the Municipal Treasurer collect payments from the taxpayers..** Alpine L. Killa-Malwagay, Bontoc LGU
