More than 300 Iloilo beneficiaries back agrarian reform tax project

ILOILO CITY, Philippines   – At least 300 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Iloilo province signed a pledge of commitment in support of the Iloilo Comprehensive Agrarian Reform and Taxation (I-CART) project.

This was during the launching of the project at the Capitol recently by the Iloilo provincial government and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Regional Office 6.

I-CART, a first of its kind in the country, was designed to empower ARBs with the issuance of individual tax declaration for each of them having individual and collective certificate of land ownership award (CLOAs) and emancipation patents (EPs).

As such, the ARBs are required to pay their respective real property taxes (RPT) promptly, said Iloilo Provincial Treasurer Melba Sullivan, who noted that many ARBs have failed to pay their taxes at present.

Records last year showed that tax delinquencies under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) have reached P25 million.

Sullivan was optimistic that with the I-CART program the ARBs will be aware of their obligations, as her office will also be conducting massive information dissemination campaign around the province.

The I-CART launching was attended by DAR-6 regional director Alexis Arsenal and provincial director Gideon Umadhay.

Also present were Provincial Administrator Raul Banias, representing Gov. Arthur Defensor, Sr., League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP)-Iloilo president Ma. Teresa Debuque, and Provincial Board Members Manny Gallar, Jett Rojas, and Hernan Biron Jr.  (FREEMAN)