Oro traders urged to renew permits before deadline

A total of 27,000 businesses are expected to renew their business permit for this year’s scheduled renewal slated on January 3 to 21.

Divina Dablio, assistant City Treasurer for Administration said only 1,000 businesses renewed their permits yet.

“We expect 27,000 businesses for renewal, but this is aside from those new applicants or new business who will get their business permits from us,” Dablio said.

This year’s target collection is 30 percent higher than 2017 due to a bigger annual budget approved for 2019.

Dablio said its office is challenged with the targets for this year, and although no new tax is implemented, it vowed to exert all of their efforts to achieve the target.

Dablio urged businesses to process their business permit renewals before the deadline, pointing out that the City Treasurer’s Office is open to serve even on Saturdays and Sundays.

Businessmen who fail to renew their permits will face 25 percent surcharge and 2 percent interest on their payables.

The City Treasurer’s Office has yet to release the total tax collection of 2018, but Dablio said the 2018 collection is higher than what was collected in 2017.