Palace: Heart Center exempt from real property taxes

MANILA, Philippines - Amid reported efforts by the Quezon City government to auction off the state-owned Philippine Heart Center (PHC), Malacañang said yesterday the specialty hospital is exempt from real property taxes.

Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel has always been of the opinion that specialty hospitals like PHC, based on their charters, need not pay taxes to their host local government units.

“That is the government position on that issue,” Lacierda said.