The view of Cebu City’s skyline from a high-rise in downtown Cebu City. | CDN Digital Photo by Morexette Marie Erram
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City businesses and establishments seeking to renew their business permits will have more time to fulfill the requirements as the deadline has been moved to February 28, 2022.
Cebu City Treasurer Mare Vae Reyes told CDN Digital that the City Council has approved their request to move the deadline because of Typhoon Odette.
The deadline was supposed to be on January 20, 2022, as it has been in past years, but because they could not access their online system due to the lack of internet connectivity after the typhoon, they were not able to start processing renewal.
The business permit renewal started on January 10 at the Cebu Trade Hall in the SM City Cebu in Barangay Mabolo and the establishments can process their requirements there until the deadline.
“Naapproved na gyod na ang extension. Sa SM na ta nagrenewal sa Cebu Trade Hall ug karaan nga VECO office sa second floor,” said Reyes.
The business permit renewal is not the only challenge the city’s finance department faced due to Typhoon Odette.
Reyes said that because of the lack of connectivity and even power, the last quarter payment of the Real Property Tax (RPT) for 2021 was extended until Friday, January 15, 2022.
The RPT collection is now being done at the Finance Building across the City Hall Executive Building. The collection was transferred there because the Legislative Building has become crowded due to the ongoing vaccination at the Plaza Sugbo grounds.
So far, Reyes said the collection has shown much promise as many residents, establishments, corporations, and entities, have been able to pay their taxes in the past days.
The collection of these taxes is essential because the CTO is given a P2 billion target for 2022.
For now, the collection of the RPT is at the finance center, but Reyes said Mayor Michael Rama has approved to hold tax collection at SM City Cebu as well so that the crowd will be divided.
“Para pud na og naay mopositive (for COVID-19) sa usa ka site, dili maputol ang atong collection,” said Reyes.
Should the collection be moved to SM, the CTO will announce the changes in the coming days.
Reyes reminded the taxpayers to pay their dues before the deadline on January 15 so that they will not be penalized. /rcg
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