The Bureau of Local Government Finance awarded South Cotabato a certificate of achievement for ranking first among the provinces in SOCCSKSARGEN in earning the highest locally sourced revenue, amounting to Php 659.95 million.
Mario Sorongon, Revenue Operation Division Chief, said the amount includes real property tax, professional tax, and provincial impositions such as printing, franchise, amusement, and other charges.
“We make new ways and strategies to decrease our reliance on national Government’s share,” Sorongon said.
The Provincial treasurer’s Office drafted Ordinance no. 44 s. 2020 to aid delinquent real property owners. Sangguniang Panlalawigan enacted it. The local law aims to wave all the penalties associated with Real properties from 2020 and prior years.
It took effect last January 01 to June 30, 2021, Sorongon stressed out.
“We have collected a total of Php 177,398,564.05 from the amnesty,” he reported.
Due to public demand, the PTO drafted a related ordinance to extend the tax relief until December 2021.
“The strategy collected a total of Php 575,736,173.29 for the calendar year 2021,” Sorongon said, adding that the collection was at least 40% higher than the previous years. The highest revenue collection ever recorded.
Php 178.5 million of the real property tax collection went back to the province of South Cotabato to deliver services.
The tax amnesty boosted the province revenue collection, he added.
(With reports from Claire Claverias, PIO Intern)
