The city government collected about P1.43 billion during the renewal period of business permits between January 3 – 31, data from the City Treasurer’s Office (CTO) showed.
“This (collection) surpassed the P1.2 billion target of the CTO for January,” Acting City Treasurer Erwin Alparaque said.
The amount was generated from 33,562 permits paid out of the 37,770 permit applications for the period.
The city government collected about P200 million higher than what it collected during the period last year at about P1.22.
This was the second year that the city was able to breach the P1 billion mark as it collected about P899.4 million in2017.
Alparaque was confident that the collection would even go higher as there are still applications that have yet to be approved.
“We still expect applications beyond the set date because we are expecting about 39,500 applications for this year,” said Business Bureau Chief Marissa M. Torentera in an interview.
Torentera also urged those that have yet to renew their permits to move faster as the city government is imposing surcharges of 25% for business taxes and another 2% every month that the renewal is delayed.
Mayor Sara Duterte said the “increased revenues will bring the city to come up with more programs and projects that will support all sectors of the society.”
Among the plans of the mayor include the concreting and rehabilitation of roads in all three districts with about P396 million as specified in the Annual Development Fund.
The city government is also setting aside about P203.9 million for the construction and improvement of drainage systems in the Poblacion District, Bucana, Matina, Maa, Talomo, Agdao, Calinan and Toril areas.
Another P83.050 million is also allocated for economic development programs for agriculture and fisheries development, cooperative services and livelihood development, veterinary programs and tourism; and P61.9 million is allocated for the construction of the waste-to-energy facilities, urban greening program, and procurement of equipment for sanitary landfill.
The city government is also allocating about P171.1 million for social development programs including literacy enhancement, health care, social alleviation, youth development, and gender development; and another P50.046 million for health centers, daycare centers, and multipurpose building.
