Mandaue City Presidencia (City Hall) | CDN Digital photo | Brian J. Ochoa
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu — The Mandaue City Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) reported a collection of over P1 billion in business taxes for January.
Although the deadline for business tax payments ended on January 31, only about 2,000 businesses had settled their taxes by Friday noon.
Atty. Walter Shane Lumbre, head of the BPLO Inspection Division, stated that collections are expected to rise, as the city has approximately 15,000 to 17,000 registered businesses, many of which are still pending payment.
“Nareach nato ang P1 billion target, niya naa pa tay for payments,” said Lumbre.
(We have reached our P1 billion target, and there are still pending payments.)
Lumbre said the over P1 billion collected in the first month primarily came from payments made by larger companies operating in the city.
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He added that entrepreneurs who fail to pay for their permits and licenses will incur penalties, including a 25 percent surcharge and an additional 2 percent interest per month for any further delays.
Entrepreneurs who were unable to pay for their permits and licenses during the renewal period in January will face the same penalties, Lumbre said.
While business renewals in January contribute significantly to tax collection, payments continue throughout the year due to new applications, he added.
Beginning February 3, the BPLO will start issuing business permits and conducting inspections to ensure compliance with display requirements for the 2025 permits, as mandated by law.
The inspections will verify whether business establishments have successfully renewed their permits and complied with the necessary regulatory clearances and supplementary licenses pertinent to their operations.