Makati City extends office hours for tax payments, permits

The Makati City government said the office processing tax payments and renewal of business permits would be extending its operating hours and open on weekends until January 20.

For the convenience of tax payers, City Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO) and other frontline offices will be open even after office hours and on weekends to accommodate applications for renewal of business permits and tax payments in time for the January 20 deadline.

As an added treat, Makati Mayor Abigail Binay also ordered the Finance Department to provide free lunch to the first 200 business taxpayers daily from Monday to Friday only, starting January 8 until January 19.

“We have planned ahead for the greater convenience of our taxpayers, whom we highly value as our indispensable partners in sustaining Makati’s rapid economic growth and overall development,” Mayor Binay said.

Finance head and Acting City Treasurer Jesusa Cuneta also said clients will be treated to free-flowing coffee and biscuits daily on weekdays during the renewal period.

From January 3 to 5, the BPLO will be open until 7 p.m. The rest of the schedule will be as follows: January 6 and 7 (Saturday and Sunday), 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; January 8 to 12 (Monday to Friday), 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.; January 13 and 14 (Saturday and Sunday), 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; January 15 to 19 (Monday to Friday), 8 a.m. to 10 p.m; and January 20, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

BPLO Chief Maribert Pagente urged business owners to beat the January 20 deadline in order to avoid the penalties on late payments, which include a 25 percent surcharge and a two percent penalty per month of delay until the amount due is fully settled.

Meanwhile, the Realty Tax Division has announced that satellite payment centers for real property taxes (RPT) are scheduled to accept payments in 31 barangays, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Under the Makati Revenue Code, discounts are given to non-delinquent taxpayers, as follows: 10 percent for full year RPT payments made until January 20, and five percent discount for prompt quarterly payments (Quarter 1 until January 20; Quarter 2 until April 20; Quarter 3 until July 20; and Quarter 4 until October 20).

Annual RPT payments made after March will incur an eight percent penalty on the first quarter, and two percent on every succeeding month. For late quarterly RPT payments (made after the last day of the quarter, i.e., March 31, June 30, September 30, December 31), an eight percent penalty will be imposed for that quarter, and two percent on every succeeding month.

For miscellaneous fees and taxes, the deadlines for professional tax payments is on January 31, while the deadline for payments on Community Tax, both corporate and individual, is on February 28. The Miscellaneous Division will be extending work hours.