A Tax Break Designed Around Actual Damage
GENERAL SANTOS - General Santos City has taken a step toward easing one of the financial pressures facing residents and businesses affected by the June earthquake. The Sangguniang Panlungsod approved on third and final reading an ordinance providing tax relief for affected business operators and property owners. According to Bombo Radyo Gensan, the measure would remove surcharges, interest, and penalties connected to delinquent business taxes and real property taxes, particularly for properties damaged by the earthquake. The proposal was also sought by the Chamber of Commerce and combined with a proposal from the Executive Department, creating a locally developed response to earthquake-related financial difficulties.
Relief That Could Matter to Damaged Businesses
The measure is particularly relevant for businesses that have struggled to continue operating after their establishments were damaged or destroyed. Instead of treating delayed tax payments simply as ordinary delinquencies, the proposed relief recognizes the unusual circumstances surrounding earthquake-affected properties and enterprises. Councilor Franklin Gacal, as reported by Bombo Radyo Gensan, said the ordinance was intended to reduce the financial burden on those affected. This local action also follows an earlier national tax measure: the Bureau of Internal Revenue extended certain filing, payment, and document-submission deadlines for taxpayers under RDO 110, covering General Santos City and Sarangani, after the June earthquake.
A Practical Step, With the Next Stage Still Ahead
The third-and-final-reading approval is significant, but it should not be confused with the ordinance already being fully effective. The reported development establishes that the city council has approved the measure at the legislative level; taxpayers should still wait for the ordinance’s final processing and official implementation details before assuming that particular taxes, penalties, or interest have already been waived. The proposal nevertheless adds another layer to General Santos’ earthquake-recovery efforts. Earlier in June, the BIR had already provided temporary national tax relief for affected taxpayers. The city ordinance takes a different route, focusing specifically on local business and real property tax obligations.
