Mandaue to auction off 17,000 foreclosed assets

CEBU, Philippines - At least 17,000 real properties owned by private individuals in Mandaue City who have been delinquent in their taxes are waiting to be auctioned off this year.

City Treasurer Lawyer Regal Oliva, in an interview with the media, said these properties may be bid by the city out in July. The move is expected to generate around P200 million to P400 million for the city’s coffers.

“Kung ma-collect na nako, malipay gyud ang sunod nga mayor,” Oliva joked.

Mayor Jonas Cortes, who is on his third and last term, has reportedly agreed on the auction of these properties after the same have been foreclosed and their respective owners sent third and final demand letters to pay all delinquencies, but to no avail.

Oliva said the delinquencies were one of the reasons why Mandaue City was P500 million short in achieving its P2.1 billion target collection last year.

One of the properties to be auctioned off is the lot in Barangay Subangdaku where a slaughterhouse of the Cebu City government stands. Oliva said he was told that Cebu City officials are set to close the abattoir.

“They are closing daw. I told them to get a permit (for it), and a certificate of retirement. Apilon gyud na (in the auction),” he said.

Cebu City has been delinquent in paying its taxes to Mandaue for the slaughterhouse’s lot, said Oliva, adding that they already sent the final notice last year to Cebu City.

Mandaue City’s collectibles from Cebu City have reached P2 million already, excluding the two percent interest per month and the business taxes.

Oliva said because of the huge number of properties to be disposed of, they will start selling properties in the southern barangays first, like Subangdaku and Tipolo. After, they will proceed northwards. (FREEMAN)