Tagum’s taxpayer festival boosted local revenues

TAGUM CITY – The City Government of Tagum, thru its Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO), had posted an actual collected income of P176.3 million during its month-long run of the first ever Taxpayers Festival in January and tallied a total of 6,900 renewed business permits on the same period.

This, according to Administrative Officer III Marites Casas of the city’s business bureau, is an increase of almost 20% of the total amount collected from taxpayers as compared to January 2019’s collection of P148.6 million.

Casas attributed this reported rise of numbers as one of the positive effects of the LGU Tagum’s Taxpayers Festival which caused taxpayers to pay their taxes notwithstanding the effects of the 2019 investment schemes on the city’s businesses.

Also, the increase in the local revenue collection during the month-long festivity eventuated as local taxpayers were more given chances to extend their payment without penalties, as the BPLO’s deadline, which was previously set on the 20th day, was extended to January 31 based on the national mandate espoused in the Ease of Doing Business Act of 2018.

With the local implementation of the said legislation which promotes ease of doing business and the delivery of efficient government service, the LGU ensured that there was less contact with the taxpayers, with personnel from offices that were necessary in the process of permit renewals being gathered at the City Hall Atrium for the taxpayers’ utmost convenience. The assessment of the documents presented was followed by the payment of taxes and fees and capped by the release of the business permit and license

plate.

As per City Treasurer’s Office, a total of almost P10,000 worth of giveaways were given while various services, such as free coffee and water, free manicure and pedicure & Libreng Sakay, were rendered to all taxpayers. Outstanding and early payers were also given plaques of recognition.

The Taxpayers Festival 2020 has proved to strengthen the sustained commitment of Tagumenyos in paying their taxes, which was not only shown through increased revenue but through strengthened rapport and sense of community as pursued by its theme “Taxpayers’Festival: Kaagapay sa Tunay na Tagumpay”. Geneva Pangandoyon/CIO Tagum

TRUSTEES of the UP Mindanao Foundation Inc. (UPMFI) took their oath of Office in induction ceremonies with Professor Larry N. Digal (left-most), ex-officio trustee representing UP Mindanao as its Chancellor, serving as Inducting Officer. The trustees are (left-right) Sebastian L. Angliongto, chairperson; John Gaisano Jr., vice-chairperson; Atty. Marie Dinah Tolentino-Fuentes, president; Anacleto Guevarra, vice-president; Atty. Charmaine Valentin, secretary; and Atty. Marie Glenn Cedeno-Sorila, treasurer. Also in the photo are officers Maria Belen “Mabel” Acosta, Joel Laserna, ex-officio trustee representing UP Alumni AssociationDavao as its president, and Corazon “Zony” Reyes. Not in the photo is trustee Dr. Celia Castillo, auditor. On induction day, the UPMFI approved scholarships for a new set of students and agreed to compile testimonies of the ways by which the scholarships helped individual students. The UPMFI also approved new fund support for the UP Mindanao varsity and agreed to develop new scholarships specifically for students in sports. The UPMFI was created alongside UP Mindanao in 1995 with funds from donors to support UP Mindanao faculty development, provide scholarships to students, and promote academic programs that are responsive to the needs of Mindanao. UPMFI has sponsored faculty members to a total of 37 national and international academic conferences and supported an average number of 15 scholars every semester with earnings from the funds. In 2019, the UPMFI co-organized the 44th UP Regional Alumni Institute that passed eight resolutions in support for the expansion plans of UP Mindanao.