ILIGAN CITY (PIA)–The Iligan Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation, Inc. (ICCIFI) held an open forum through the Kapehan sa Iligan Chamber to tackle the issue of the recent increase in the cost of business permits in the city.
The Kapehan sa Iligan Chamber provided a platform for the City Treasurer’s Office (CTO), City Assessor’s Office (CAO), and Permits and License Division (PLD) to clarify issues and concerns of the business owners and entrepreneurs.
Maria Nimfa Briones of the CTO’s Business Tax and Fees Division told the public that their tax rate was based on Iligan City’s 2010 Amended Revenue Code. She said the business tax increase for 2023 is based on the gross receipt sale and the dealing sales per day that are based on the income tax return submitted to their office.
Meanwhile, Evan Puyos of CAO informed the public that their office did not increase the real property tax.
“The increase only happens with every general revision. The last revision was in 2018. The revision is postponed because of the pandemic, so, because of humanitarian reasons, the Bureau of Local Government Finance and Department of Finance advised on postponing the general revision,” he said.
Maria Rhodora Omlero of the PLD Permits and License Division said that as of March 7, 654 new businesses had gotten permits and 8,056 businesses had renewed their permits.
Reggie Punongbayan, the president of ICCIFI, also told business owners to ask the relevant offices for more information and clarity, to encourage open communication, to take part in public consultations, to be fair and honest, and to look for ways to avoid paying fees. (CEC/PIA-10/Lanao del Norte)
By Charlene Collantes
