DAVAO CITY – For failing to transfer ownership, the local government continues to impose taxes on donors of real properties which were already given to the city.
The oversight was bared by Councillor Tomas Monteverde IV, chairperson of the City Council Committee on Rules, Privileges, Laws and Ordinances during the regular press conference dubbed, “Pulong-pulong ni Pulong” Monday.
“As early as 1991 [as per the Local Government Code of 1991], kinahanglan ang donation dawaton sa chief executive. But again it is sad to say pero naa gyud gamayng negligence ang gobyerno during that time (As early as 1991 as per the Local Government Code, the chief executive must accept the donations. But again it is sad to say that the government has been slightly negligent during that time),” Monteverde admitted.
Monteverde shared that some of the donors, to whom he did not name, aired their grievances during committee hearings.
“These are residents of Davao City who donated their real property sa city para gamiton sa kalsada, school site, barangay site. Ang problema lang kay hangtod karon wala pa diay na-transfer ang titulo (There are residents of Davao City who donated their real properties to the city for public use. But the problem is that until now the titles of these properties have not been transferred),” he said.
Because of that, some of the heirs of the donors are having a hard time applying for renewal of business permits as they still have liabilities to the city government.
No figures of the number of the problematic properties were released to the media.
Monteverde cited as an example of a family who donated their real property to a barangay in Agdao district. The barangay built its barangay hall and covered court at the donated property, yet the heirs of the donor are still being asked to pay for the taxes.
Monteverde has filed a resolution entitled “Proposed Ordinance prescribing the rules and regulations on the donations made involving real properties in favor of the City Government of Davao by directing the appropriate government agencies for appropriate action and providing remedies thereof.”
The proposed ordinance, which is on its drafting stage and is now in the second reading of the present City Council, will govern donations of real property to the city.
“Ang tuyo sa maong balaod is to allow people to be generous ug mas sayon sa ilaha mu-donate (The rationale of the ordinance is to allow people to be generous and to make it easier for them to donate),” he said.
“Once matagaan na og authority to sign the deed of donation ang mayor, [ug], after 60 days, gi-notify sa donor ang City Assessor, maundang na ang pagkubra (Once the city mayor is given the authority to sign the deed of donation, and after 60 days, the donor notifies the City Assessor, he or she will not anymore undergo an assessment),” he explained.
Last February, Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte said some P1.115 billion worth of uncollected property taxes come from 60,350 accounts– figures which Monteverde believes, may include donated properties.
“Posible nga mao nagadako ang atong uncollected taxes kay naay mga propriedad karon nga ginagamit sa city pero still under the name of private persons. So, sige pa gihapon sila gina-charge (It is possible that the increasing uncollected taxes may be because properties that the city uses are still named under private persons),” he said. (davaotoday.com)
