But only until December: Delinquent taxpayers allowed to redeem forfeited properties

CEBU, Philippines – Delinquent taxpayers whose properties had been forfeited in favor of the Cebu City government for failure to pay their taxes have been given until December 31 to redeem their lots and buildings.

Councilors Hilario Davide III and Jose Daluz III said the concerned delinquent tax payers still have five months to raise the needed amount to redeem their properties based on the unpaid taxes, plus the interest.

The city council has already approved the resolution of the two councilors, meaning those delinquent taxpayers whose properties have been forfeited by the city can already start to redeem their property.

But Davide and Daluz clarified that those properties whose Transfer Certificates of Title have already been transferred to the name of the city are no longer included in the redemption privilege.

Even Mayor Tomas Osmeña admitted that there are several properties that were forfeited in favor of the city after nobody participated in the auction but are still not titled under the name of the city.

The two councilors said some of those properties auctioned by the city are residential lots, and the number of homeless families in the city might increase once the law will be strictly implemented.

Daluz said that by allowing the taxpayers to redeem their forfeited property the city can generate income from collection of overdue taxes plus the interest and surcharges in a relatively short time.

The Local Government Code allows the sale through auction of the properties of delinquent taxpayers to satisfy their tax obligation to the government, although the owners still have the chance to redeem their properties within a year from the date of sale.

If nobody will buy the auctioned properties, the property will automatically be considered bought by the local government unit who conducted the auction and the sale will become final if its owners fail to redeem the property after the one-year redemption period. — Rene U. Borromeo/BRP (THE FREEMAN)