MANILA, Philippines - To accommodate the thousands of business taxpayers trooping to Quezon City hall, Mayor Herbert Bautista has ordered the city's revenue generating offices to continue operations and processes on January 15 to 19.
Malacañang earlier declared the dates as special non-working holidays in line with the five-day visit of Pope Francis to the country.
"We should be open on January 15 to 19 even if the Pope is in the Philippines," Bautista told City Treasurer Edgard Villanueva who requested for suspension of the City Treasurer's Office (CTO)'s operations during holidays.
Aside from the CTO, Bautista also ordered offices under the city administrator to continue operations.
The city's information Technology Development Office will be posting a skeletal force to ensure continuous operation for tax payments and minimize downtime of support services.
City Administrator Aldrin Cuna said that the period of January is devoted to the collection of taxes, fees and charges from the city's tax payers so that closing office.
He said the city is expecting a surge of taxpayers on January 20, the deadline for business tax payments.
The city government has extended the working hours, including Saturdays and Sundays of all city hall offices involved in tax assessment and payments in January to accommodate taxpayers.