ANGELES CITY- Pushing political will and running political risk, Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan said he is prepared
to sign soon a move to increase real property taxes (RPT) in this city by as much as 200 percent, the first such tax hike here since 1995.
“This decision which is fully backed by the city council is a make or break move, but I have to use political will for
the sake of both the rich and the poor,” he said in a press conference here the other day. Some sectors, particularly those coming from business, have expressed opposition to the RPT hike and had vowed to hold protest rallies in the coming days, although the city council had already approved the measure on third reading.
“I have to do what I was mandated to do for the city, where 80 percent are poor,” he stressed. Pamintuan said that RPT would be increased by 120 to 200 percent for residences, 125 percent for commercial establishments,
35 percent for industrial firms, and 50 percent for agricultural lands. Lands occupied by illegal settlers
would be entitled to a 60 percent discount on the tax hikes, he also announced.
“These rates are even much lower than the valuation of the MACCII (Metro Angeles City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc.),” he noted. He justified the increase in RPT by pointing out that despite provisions in the Local Government Code authorizing local government units to examine RPT policies based on current values every three years, this city last imposed tax hike in 1995 when he was also mayor. In that year, his administration raised RPT to P500 per square meter and this has remained the rate up to the present.
Pamintuan said income from the hike in RPT would enable him to implement vital projects in this city. “Some
complain on peace and order and yet refuse to raise taxes that can buy us more patrol cars and motorcycles for our policemen and for the hiring of more traffic aides,” he lamented.
He also cited the need for more funds for scholars at the cityowned Angeles City College, projects for senior
citizens, increase Phil- Health subsidies for the poor and housing for indigents. Pamintuan also not-ed the need to upgrade infrastructure, such as widening of roads, construction of more canals, and a plaza for the city.
He also bared plans to use global positioning system (GPS) maps to determine improvement in the properties in the city to update the RPT taxes. “This was done in Valenzuela City and their taxes increased 200 percent,” he said.
The RPT is based on the assessed value which is a certain percentage of the market value of the real property.
The assessed value is arrived at upon application of the assessment levels to the market value of the property.
The assessment levels are fixed by ordinance of the local legislative council.
