Binay orders extended work hours for business permits, tax payments

FILE: Mayor Abby Binay (PNA Photo)

MANILA — Makati Mayor Abby Binay announced Thursday that the Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO) and other frontline offices will be open after office hours and on weekends to accommodate applications for renewal of business permits and tax payments in time for the Jan. 20 deadline.

The mayor earlier authorized the concerned offices to render overtime services for the convenience of taxpayers, and ordered the Finance Department to provide free lunch to the first 200 business taxpayers daily from Monday to Friday only, starting Jan. 8 until January 19.

“We have planned ahead for the greater convenience of our taxpayers, whom we highly value as our indispensable partners in sustaining Makati’s rapid economic growth and overall development,” the mayor said in a statement.
According to Finance head and Acting City Treasurer Jesusa Cuneta, stubs for the free lunch will be given to clients upon payment of the amount due with the cashier. They may then proceed to the designated area at the ground floor lobby of Makati City Hall Building II to claim their free lunch.

Cuneta also said that clients would be treated to free coffee and biscuits daily on weekdays during the renewal period.
Moreover, BPLO chief Atty. Maribert Pagente said since Tuesday, her office has been open to serve taxpayers beyond office hours, and would also be open on weekends until January 20.

On Jan. 3-5, they will be open until 7 p.m. The rest of the schedule will be as follows: Jan. 6-7 (Saturday and Sunday), 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Jan. 8-12 (Monday to Friday), 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Jan. 13-14 (Saturday and Sunday), 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Jan. 15-19 (Monday to Friday), 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Jan. 20, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Pagente urged business owners to pay ahead of the deadline to avoid the penalties on late payments, which include a 25 percent surcharge and a 2 percent penalty per month of delay until the amount due is fully settled.
Meanwhile, the Realty Tax Division has announced that satellite payment centers for real property taxes (RPT) are scheduled to accept payments in 31 barangays, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., as follows:
Jan. 3-4 (Bel-Air); Jan. 3 (Urdaneta); Jan. 4-5 (Dasmariñas); Jan. 6 (Forbes Park); Jan. 5 and 8 (San Lorenzo); Jan. 6 and 8 (Magallanes); Jan. 9 (Bangkal, Pio del Pilar, San Isidro, Palanan, and San Antonio); Jan. 10 (La Paz, Sta. Cruz, Singkamas, Tejeros, and Kasilawan); Jan. 11 (Carmona, Olympia, Valenzuela, Poblacion, and Guadalupe Viejo); Jan. 12 (Guadalupe Nuevo, Pinagkaisahan, Pitogo, Cembo, and South Cembo); and Jan. 15 (West Rembo, East Rembo, Comembo, Pembo, and Rizal).
Under the Makati Revenue Code, discounts are given to non-delinquent taxpayers, as follows: 10 percent for full-year RPT payments made until Jan. 20, and 5 percent discount for prompt quarterly payments (Quarter 1 until Jan. 20; Quarter 2 until April 20; Quarter 3 until July 20; and Quarter 4 until October 20).
Annual RPT payments made after March will incur an 8 percent penalty on the first quarter, and 2 percent on every succeeding month. For late quarterly RPT payments (made after the last day of the quarter — March 31, June 30, Sept. 30, Dec. 31), an 8 percent penalty will be imposed for that quarter, and 2 percent on every succeeding month.
For miscellaneous fees and taxes, the deadline for professional tax payments is on Jan. 31, while the deadline for payments on Community Tax, both corporate and individual, is on February 28. The Miscellaneous Division will be extending work hours, as follows: Jan. 3-5, from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Jan. 6-7, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Jan. 8-12, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Jan. 13-14, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Jan. 15-19, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Jan. 20-21, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Jan 22-26, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Jan. 27-28, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Jan. 29 and 31, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.. (Makati City PR)