GENERAL SANTOS CITY — The city government is targeting to generate around P2 billion in revenues this year to fund the local government’s operations and implementation of priority development programs and projects.
Rodilon Lacap, acting city treasurer, said Wednesday the figure is based on the projected increases this year in local tax collections and the local government’s Internal Revenue Allotment or IRA share.
“We actually raised our collection target this year by P200 million from P1.8 billion last year,” he said.
As of the end of December, he said they were able to their targeted collections in 2017, especially in terms of business and real property taxes as well as for other regulatory charges and fees.
For business tax, the city government collected a total of P287 million last year and made the same target for 2018.
In this month’s business registration and renewal, it aims to collect around P90 million from the projected 8,500 applicants.
It also achieved its collection target for real property tax that was based on its actual collection of P238.56 million in 2016.
The Department of Finance’s Bureau of Local Government Finance recognized the city government last year as the top performer among first class cities in Region 12 or Soccsksargen in terms of realty tax collection.
To attain their targets this year, Lacap said they have set various strategies and innovations based on the city’s comprehensive revenue generation plan.
He said these include the rollout of the business-one-stop-shop at the city’s Investment Center, conduct of public auctions for real properties with tax delinquencies and inspections of local business establishments.
The official said they are planning anew to conduct two public auctions this year, one in the first half and another in the second half of the year.
Lacap said they will assign more personnel to the city’s 26 barangays for the implementation of the barangay incentive program.
The program, which started last year, mainly taps the assistance of barangay councils in the collection of real property taxes.
It provides incentives to barangays that would be able to meet or surpass their target collections.
He added that the local government was able to meet its collection target for real property taxes last year because of the program.(PNA)
