Makati opens collection offices for property tax, biz permits amid looming deadline

MANILA, Philippines - The Makati City government on Friday said it would be opening collection offices in the city’s barangays to accommodate residents trying to beat the Jan. 20 deadline for the payment of real property taxes (RPT) and the renewal of business licenses.

In addition, the city government also authorized its frontline offices to remain open beyond regular work hours on weekdays and weekends.

The Makati City Finance Department said the barangay satellite realty tax payment centers would accept payments on scheduled dates, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Makati City Treasurer Nelia Barlis said her office has designated personnel to each payment center in the barangays, asking them to report as early as 7:30 a.m. at the site on the scheduled dates to ensure compliance with taxation processes and fast and hassle-free transactions with clients.

Barlis said RPT collection began Friday in District 1 (Barangay Bel-Air). It will be followed by Barangay Dasmariñas on Jan. 6 to 7, Brgy. Forbes Park on Jan. 8, Brgy. Urdaneta, Jan. 9, Brgy. Magallanes on Jan. 10 to 11, and Brgy. San Lorenzo on Jan. 13. Property owners in Barangays Bangkal and Pio del Pilar can settle their taxes on Jan. 14, while those in Brgys. Tejeros and San Antonio will have their turn on Jan. 15.

In District 2, RPT payment centers will be open in Brgys. Guadalupe Nuevo and East Rembo on Jan. 16, and in Brgys. West Rembo and Pembo on Jan. 17.

Residents whose barangays are not yet included in the program may pay their taxes at the nearest available barangay tax payment center or at the second floor of the new building of the Makati City Hall.

Meanwhile, the Business Permits Office (BPO) at the ground floor of the new Makati City Hall Building II has confirmed that they will be extending office hours until 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. at night on specific days in January to accommodate applications for business permits renewal.

From Jan. 2 to 3, the BPO has been serving clients from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.  Starting Monday next week, BPO and other offices involved in business permits processing shall be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., then resume work at 5:30 p.m. until 10 p.m. on weekdays, as follows: Jan. 6 to 10, Jan. 13 to 17, and on Jan. 20, the deadline for submission of applications. On weekends, frontline offices at City Hall will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. specifically on Jan. 11 and 12, and Jan. 18 and 19.

According to the BPO, January has always been the busiest month of the year for them because it is when business owners in the city renew their permits.

Based on the latest data from the BPO, Makati as of end-December 2013 has around 5,132 newly registered businesses. These and some 61,527 previously existing businesses add up to a total of 66,659 that are up for renewal this January.

By industry, Makati-based businesses are led by Services, over 22,000, followed by Retail, over 13,600, and Real Estate, over 7,200.

Based on the Makati Revenue Code, annual realty tax payments made after March will be charged an eight percent penalty, while late quarterly payments will incur a penalty of two percent per month. RPT collection starts on the first working day of January until Jan. 20. The succeeding quarterly payments shall be made until April 20 (second quarter), July 20 (third quarter, and Oct. 20 (fourth quarter).

Penalties on late payments of business taxes include a 25 percent surcharge and a two percent penalty per month of delay until the amount due is fully settled.