2004 tax collection reaches P306M

By Leny G. Gabo

The total tax collection for the province of Iloilo in the year 2004 was almost twice with that of the preceding year 2003.

Based on the data of the Provincial Treasurer's Office (PTO), the total tax collection on real property from January up to December 2004 reached to P306,129,813.22.

PTO data show that the real property tax collection of the province's 42 towns starting from the last quarter of 2004 reached to P121,583.815.84.

In 2003 the PTO only posted P254,460,494 collection on real property tax.

To note, the towns of Barotac Nuevo and Dumangas posted the highest real property tax collection with P10,000,000 each.

The town of New Lucena , on the other hand, posted the lowest tax collection of P509,932.78 only.

Board Member Niel Tupas Jr., chair of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan's committee on appropriations said that the province posted a higher collection because of the real property tax amnesty program imposed last quarter of 2004.

Because of its success the provincial board extended the amnesty program until the end of January this year.

Tupas expects that with the extension the collection would still grow.

He noted that there are still taxpayers who were not able to pay and showed willingness to pay within the extension time given.