BAGUIO CITY — Property owners in the city who devote their rooftop as a green area or the building walls as vertical gardens are eyed to be entitled to a maximum of 20 percent discount on their real property tax for 10 years for their contribution to abating global warming.
Authored by Councilor Leandro Yangot, the proposed ordinance, which was approved on first reading during Monday’s regular session said, “All buildings that devote their roof area for plants and trees, either with an extensive or intensive soil player or devote their wall area for green one shall be entitled to a discount on their real property tax based on certain schemes: 25 percent of the roof or wall area shall be equivalent to 5 percent discount; 50 percent of the roof or wall area shall be equivalent to 10 percent discount; 75 percent of the roof or wall area shall be equivalent to 15 percent discount and 100 percent of the roof or wall area shall be equivalent to 20 percent discount.”
The proposed measure said installing green walls and green rooftop are key strategies in achieving the benefits of having environment-friendly buildings, thus reducing urban heat and noise, improving exterior air quality, improving energy efficiency, and increasing aesthetic variation.
Yangot said the local government aims to promote the preservation, protection and revival of the ecosystem through the prevention, control and abatement of pollution, alongside the development of the city.
He said the city exerts efforts to prevent and fight global warming as its contribution to the protection of the people. **Liza Agoot