MP tax collection down; info campaign pressed

By Tcherwai A. Taguiba

BONTOC, Mountain Province – This province’s real property tax (RPT) collection rate is down prompting the provincial government through the provincial treasurer and assessor’s offices to hold information campaign on RPT for barangay officials.

This campaign was held at Bontoc multi-purpose hall Dec. 3 where assistance of barangay officials was sought enhance revenue collection.

Gov. Leonard  Mayaen said “taxation is the lifeblood of the government and whatever amount collected, no matter how small, will provide additional revenue not just for the barangay but also for the municipalities and the province.”

He told barangay officials not to look at the small amount of funds they receive from RPT but to concentrate on how they can use it.

Provincial assessor Marjorie Kiat-ong said cooperation of  barangay officials was needed as it is them who do legwork for verification of tax declarations aside from providing certifications.

Kiat-ong said proper verification must be done prior to providing certifications to prevent duplicate tax declarations which can cause problems in collection of RPT.

Provincial treasurer Cawed Gammonac said “no government can exist without tax,” adding, “development will stop if cooperation between the local government unit and barangay officials is absent.”

He urged barangay official not to rely on their share from the IRA but also to look into other opportunities to provide funding for their own barangays one of them being the strengthening of collections on RPT.

Gammonac said legal and judicial remedies for delinquency and non-payment of RPT could be done. But he said legal options should only be used only as last resort.

He added it is better that barangay officials reach out to affected residents and explain to them  importance of RPT collection.

Local revenue collection officer Gemma Teresita Fateg provided information and data regarding current RPT collection per municipality which was collected and compiled recently, and as of Sept. 30, no municipality was within target percentage rate for RPT collection efficiency with the highest percentage of uncollected taxes going to Paracelis at -79.08 percent and lowest percentage of uncollected RPT going to Sabangan at -31.22%.