Davao City businesses that helped COVID-19 relief efforts to get incentives

DAVAO CITY – Mayor Sara Z. Duterte has asked the members of the City Council to grant incentives and relief to business establishments supporting the city government’s response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

In an interview that was aired on 87.5 Davao City Disaster Radio, Duterte said her office already submitted the proposal to the legislative branch of the city to craft an ordinance providing for incentives and relief to mitigate the adverse economic effect of COVID-19 in the city.

The mayor said that, under the proposal, lessors waiving the rental fees for their lessees can have a deduction for the same amount on their gross sales receipt, provided that there is a duly notarized certificate from the lessee as proof of the waiver.

“Kung ikaw lessor ka, nagpawaive ka og rental fee sa imong lessee, kami pud sa city government pwede namo nang i-deduct sa imong gross sales receipt (If you are a lessor who waived the rental fee to your lessee, we, in the city government, can deduct from your gross sales receipt),” she said.

She said business establishments that were designated as quarantine facilities could also be covered in the proposed ordinance.

“Katong mga establishment nga nagpahulam ug quarantine facility, pwede nimo na siya ibutang (Those establishments that lend us their property as quarantine facility, you can also state that). The gross sales receipt less the aforementioned deductible amount shall be the basis of your business taxes,” Mayor Sara added.

Duterte said the monetary value of donations given to the city government as aid for the fight against COVID-19, may also be deducted from the gross sales receipt of a business establishment to lessen payable business tax.

The City Information Office (CIO) bared the proposed ordinance was now up for second reading under the Committee on Finance, Ways and Means chaired by Second District Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang.