The local government of Pasay has projected that city revenues may reach P7.1 billion this year following the implementation of various reforms to encourage more investments and keep businesses going amid the pandemic.
“For this year’s first quarter, we have a 99 percent collection efficiency rating,” Pasay City Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano said in a television interview as she expressed confidence that the city will surpass last year’s tax collection of P6.8 billion.
As the travel hub of the country hosting a wide range of businesses, Rubiano admitted that their revenue collections were not as “robust as in the previous years” before the pandemic.
“Thus our financial standing has been greatly affected, but we are confident that we can ride through this [economic] storm” she noted.
The mayor, likewise, explained that they have undertaken some initiatives to help big, medium and even small firms to survive the pandemic.
Rubiano said that some of their initiatives include the no imposition of surcharges and interests as prescribed by the Bayanihan Act and extension of payments for business and real property taxes without surcharges and interest.
“We are continuously finding ways on how we can best help our traders and keep their businesses running despite the pandemic. In fact, Pasay is fast gaining reputation as business-friendly city,” she said.
The mayor added: “We want them to keep doing business as usual in this most challenging times. In fact, we’ve repeatedly extended the deadline for the payment of business and real property taxes to help them.”
The mayor also added that the city hall has also gone fully automated on almost all essential departments to make business transactions easier and faster for the transacting public.
“We’ve also undertaken initiatives as we embarked in an automation of all other essential services at the City Hall,” she said, adding that among these automated services are online registration for business permit applications and for building permit, as well as for real property assessment.
“We also accept online payments. Our digital initiatives have provided convenience in doing business in Pasay City Hall. It is very timely as well because of the pandemic,” she stressed.
Image credits: Nonie Reyes
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