Mayor Osmeña to business owners: Pay taxes, secure permits or face closure

OSMEÑA

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Once again, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña reminded business establishments to comply with their tax schedules if they would not want to face closures. 

“My brother Cebuanos, now is the time for you to renew or acquire your business permits. We’re going to make it so easy for you now,” said Osmeña in a video posted today, (January 3, 2019) by the Public Information Office of the city government. 

“Even if your application is not complete, you will be allowed to operate your business as long as you pay your taxes, and as long as you have not been blacklisted by City Hall, we have not closed you down before, you can proceed and open your business,” he added.

The mayor earlier made this reminder last December 2018 through a post on his official Facebook page. 

Tomorrow, Friday (January 4), the city will be opening its one-stop shop for renewal of business permits, and payment of business taxes for 2019 at Robinsons Galleria, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., every Monday to Saturday (except this January 19 which will be the Solemn Procession for the Fiesta Señor). 

Deadline for the renewal of business permits, and payment of business taxes is on January 25. Those who fail to meet the cut-off will have to pay a 25 percent surcharge, a late securing fee, and a two percent interest. 

From August to December 2018, or since Osmeña formed the Task Force on Inspection and Investigation of Business Permits to intensify his administration’s campaign against delinquent taxpayers, there were 1,185 firms found out to have been operating without business permits, haven’t paid their business taxes, or both. 

Based on the records from the City Treasurer’s Office (CTO), there are over 33,000 business establishments registered in Cebu City. /dbs