Lot titling tax measure OK'd on 1st reading

CEBU, Philippines - The Talisay City Council has given its first blessing on a proposed legislative measure granting full 100 percent transfer tax exemption to beneficiaries who have fully paid their obligations to the city government through the socialized housing programs.

Acting Vice Mayor Danilo "Danny" Caballero, who presided the council session yesterday morning, said the council members unanimously voted on first reading to approve the ordinance and referred it to the Committee on Laws and Ordinances for review.

If the proposed ordinance will be approved, it will be known as "Talisay City Urban Poor Lot Titling Tax Exemption Ordinance."

Its author, City Councilor Doroteo Emit, who is also chairman of the Committee on Housing and Urban Development, said there are beneficiaries who have been awarded their respective lots but their titles were not yet transferred because of the huge fees on taxes.

"Several of the landless and urban poor constituents of the City of Talisay have availed of the local government's permanent relocation and resettlement sites through the socialized housing program. They are eager to have the lot titles transferred to their names after completing their amortizations dues, the same exuberant socialized housing beneficiaries are left without choice but to pay the costly transfer tax and other related incidental fees," Emit said.

According to Emit, the city does not have a categorized cost of transfer tax and other real property taxes and fees that are specifically urban poor-friendly.

Emit said the tax exemption for this purpose will greatly benefit the socialized housing beneficiaries and help urban poor families acquire ownership of their awarded lots with the security of a lot title should the ordinance be approved.

Under the RA 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991, the City Council has the powers to grant transfer tax exemptions, incentives and reliefs and to grant the same through an ordinance.

Under the ordinance, in order to avail of the transfer tax exemption, a beneficiary must present the following documents: certificate of full payment from the Local Housing Office and duly certified by the City Treasurer's Office and certification from the LHO that the applicant is a bona fide socialized housing beneficiary and the actual occupant of the lot. —  (FREEMAN)