By Perfecto Raymundo, Jr./PNA
MANILA — The Quezon City Council has passed on third and final reading an ordinance proposing the extension of the deadline for the payment of business taxes in the city from the previous deadline of January 20 to February 3.
In the ordinance enacted by the council, it noted that the yearly extension for the payment of business taxes was unavoidable as the number of tax-paying businesses in the city continues to increase.
It has been extended to further accommodate the interests of the tax-paying public in the city.
Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte, presiding officer of the Quezon City Council, on Tuesday said all annual and quarterly business taxes and fees due and payable to the Quezon City government for 2018 can already be paid no later than February 3.
“With this ordinance, the city will not give penalties, surcharge or interest if business owners will pay their taxes until February 3. However, if they will pay beyond the said deadline, they will be subjected to 25 percent penalty and monthly interest of two percent,” Belmonte said in an interview.
“I hope, through this extension, all business owners can already pay their taxes on time. The city has provided the adjustments for them, so now they can have enough time to process it,” she added.
Under Section 167 of the Local Government Code of 1991, all local taxes and fees shall be paid within the first 20 days of January, or of each subsequent quarter. However, the Sanggunian concerned may extend the deadline for a justifiable reason but only for a period not exceeding six months.
As early as 1997, the Quezon City Council has started to enact ordinances extending the payment of business taxes as the first quarter period from January 1 to 20 has proven to be insufficient.
