The Makati City government on Wednesday announced it has already attained 70 percent of its P14.5-billion revenue goal for this year in the first four months of 2017.
Jesusa Cuneta, officer-in-charge of the Office of the City Treasurer, said the city government collected almost P10.2 billion from January to April, nine percent higher that its P800 million collection it made on the same period last year, without increasing taxes.
During the same period, the city collected almost P5.3 billion in business tax, which is 62.9 percent of target for the year and seven percent higher than last year.
Mayor Abigail Binay noted the importance of sustaining the city’s strong relationship with the private sector in ensuring its economic stability.
“The robust growth of our revenues will allow the city government to continue investing in public health, education and social services, and further enhancing the business climate,” she said.
Records of the city Business Permits and Licensing Office show a total of 1,704 new businesses registered since January.
The next highest collection came from realty tax at almost P3.9 billion, or 95 percent of target for the year. It is also nine percent higher than actual realty tax collection for the same period last year.
Other revenue sources included in the city treasurer’s report are Fees and Charges, P426.9 million; Economic Enterprise, P67.7 million; Interest Income, P66.1 million; Internal Revenue Allotment, P354.7 million; and Share from Economic Zone, P92.2 million.
Makati is among a few local government units in the country that are not dependent on the IRA.
A few months after Binay took her oath as mayor of the country’s financial center, several reforms and innovations were made in the systems and operations of the city government to make its services more efficient, accessible and convenient to residents and taxpayers.
These include the convergence of all frontline offices involved in tax payment and renewal of business permits at the ground floor of Makati City Hall Building II, which relieved taxpayers of the burden of going from one building or floor to another. The absence of fixers was also noted by satisfied taxpayers.
During renewal period, the barangays and the Bureau of Fire Protection were also provided their respective areas for the issuance of barangay clearance and fire safety compliance certificate. Additional waiting areas and special lanes for senior citizens and persons with disability were also placed for the convenience of taxpayers.
Since July last year, City Hall has closed down a total of 158 errant establishments for operating without a valid business permit and other violations, in line with the thrust of Mayor Abby to restore discipline and respect for the law in the city.
