Kalibo tops 1st class municipalities in Western Visayas
Kalibo, Aklan -- The municipality of Kalibo is the number 1 first class municipality in Western Visayas, according to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) here.
Nelia Demalata, OIC Revenue District Officer said that although there are at least 8 first class municipalities in Western Visayas as classified by the BIR, Kalibo, the capital town of Aklan, tops the list.
She bared this information during the recent Pulong Pulong organized by BIR-Aklan for Kalibo's business community to brief the participants on computing and charging the right amount of taxes of services rendered or products sold by their establishments.
Demalata said that for a municipality to be classified as 1st class, it has to have an average annual income of more than P50 million. Second class municipalities must have an income of less that P50 million but above P40 million, and third class, less than P40 million.
Along with Kalibo, other first class municipalities in the region include Tapaz in Capiz, Calinog, Iloilo, Janiuay, Iloilo, Oton, Iloilo, Pototan, Iloilo, San Jose and Sibalom in Antique.
Demalata revealed however, that business establishments who fail to register with the BIR will have to pay penalties with varying amounts depending on their municipality's classification. Establishments from first class municipalities will shell out P10,000.00 fine; second class, P5,000.00; and 3rd class, P2,000.00.
Establishments from the cities will pay a penalty of P20,000.00 each.
At the Pulong-Pulong, Demalata appealed to the Aklanons to pay correct taxes on time.
"Paying correct taxes on time is our best expression of our love of country. The taxes we pay will also come back to us through the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) share of our province, which will be spent to build schools, for salaries of teachers, and for other vital government services," Demalata said. (PIA)