QUEZON City Mayor Herbert Bautista on Wednesday welcomed the positive reactions of an appraisers’ group and property owners in the city in consulting them over the proposed adjustment in the fair market value of their holdings.
“Of course, Mayor Bautista is a firm believer and advocate of transparency and participatory governance,” City Administrator Aldrin Cuña said.
The Institute of Philippine Real Estate Appraisers Inc. (IPREA) represented by professional appraiser Javier Bondoc, lauded the city government for its “extensive” public consultations on the general revision of property values.
A retired Navy captain, Bondoc said he and the other property owners in Sta. Perpetua Village in Barangay Tandang Sora were satisfied by the explanations of the officials of the Office of the City Assessor and councilors.
Bautista is pushing for the revision of the real-property tax or cost for buildings under the fair market values of land and basic construction cost for buildings mandated by Section 219 of the 1991 Local Government Code.
“We’ve noticed that the councilors are doing a commendable effort in hearing out the people’s sentiments and opinions, and explaining the details of this ordinance,” Bondoc said. “This is very positive, very progressive.”
Bondoc’s wife is also the president of the nearby homeowners association of Sta. Perpetua Village.
The most important thing about discussions on real properties is giving enough consideration on the “affordability” of corresponding tax dues, or the capacity of the people, especially the poor, to pay taxes, Bondoc said.
Joseph Deang, president of Rockville I Subdivision in Barangay San Bartolome, Novaliches, said: “In my limited capacity, I will try to relay to them what I have heard and learned from this public consultation today. I will also encourage them to attend subsequent consultations and discussions with the officials of city hall.”
Bautista asked the committee on ways and means to comply with the recommendations of the Commission on Audit and Department of Finance to update the city’s outdated land and property values.