Lapu-Lapu launches drive to increase tax collections

The Lapu-Lapu City government will take legal actions against business establishments that are not paying taxes to the city, Mayor Arturo Radaza said.

This developed as Radaza, speaking during the ceremony honoring the 50 highest taxpayers in the city during its 44th Charter Day celebration Friday evening, said the city government has been successful in meeting its tax collection targets.

But Radaza said the city government does not just collect taxes and fees, as it also pursues other legal means to compel erring establishments to pay taxes to the city.

"As we all know, taxation is the lifeblood of the state. The taxes that are collected constitute the financial resources that fuel the government," Radaza said.

With the support of the business sector, Radaza announced that the city's tax collection has exceeded the target for the first four months of the year.

Radaza said that the city's income from business taxes has reached P43,664,192.00, exceeding the target by 105 percent. He said the city's real property taxes has also reached P22,895,957.00, a rise by 179 percent from the target.

The mayor said that other fees also exceeded the target by as much as 32 percent. The Philippine Export Zone Administration share of the city has increased by nine percent or P4,578,672.00.

Radaza said the Internal Revenue Allotment of the city has increased by P871,004.00 or about two percent, adding that local interest income has also increased by 14 percent to P655,033.

He said that the actual income of the city for the first four months of this year was P212,091,562.00, which exceeds the target by P39,329,996.00

"Let us take this as an opportunity to renew our commitment toward progress by continuing to be responsible corporate taxpayers, which the city is both happy and proud to have," Radaza said.

The awardees were led by Lear Philippines, Inc., which paid at least P30 million in taxes to the city government.