Despite the pandemic, Makati tax revenues exceeded its 2020 target. The figures registered in November totaled P18,150,510,850.72, a figure 102 percent of its full-year target of almost P17.8 billion, the Manila Times reported.
Mayor Abigail Binay expressed delight over the encouraging development, saying that this offers a positive outlook for 2021.
The report from the city treasurer added that the municipality surpassed by three percent its actual collections during the same period in 2019.
Majority of the collections came from business taxes, reaching P9.5 billion, and real property taxes, at almost P6 billion. Other sources of local revenue include fees and charges (P609.2 million), economic enterprises (P135.1 million), interest income (P233.4 million), and internal revenue allotment (P1.2 billion).
The municipality likewise received share from the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (P314.6 million), share from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (P4.1 million), and grants and donations (P110.8 million).
Online Payments
Back in June, the Makati city government introduced an online payment channel for the settlement of business and real property taxes, as reported in Philstar. At the time, the capital region transitioned into general community quarantine, which carried travel restrictions. The launch of the virtual platform allowed people to settle fees without going to the city hall physically.
On the website www.makationlinepayments.com, Makatizens must provide their business ID or tax declaration number to access the payment portal. A step-by-step guide in using the platform was made available on the city’s official Facebook page My Makati.
The local government has set up an account in GCash as well, to enable city dwellers to send payments.
In May, Makati used the mobile wallet’s services to distribute P5,000 each to registered voters, Yellow Card holders, and Makatizen card holders. The city government earmarked P2.7 billion for approximately 500,000 city dwellers affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Smart City Award
Makati’s digital initiatives amid the pandemic earned the praise of international organizations.
Manila Bulletin reported in October that it was the only city in the country that emerged in the top three World Smart Sustainable Cities Organization (WeGo) Awards for its technology-oriented response to the current health crisis.
Mayor Binay showcased the local government’s digital social services at the WeGO Smart Health Responder Webinar. She presented the use of the Makatizen Card and the Makatizen App in providing financial assistance to 500,000 city residents.
The city received the bronze award under the Efficient Government category in November, along with Goyang City, South Korea (gold) and Moscow, Russia (silver).
Mass Vaccination Plans
Recently, Makati turned heads again when the local government announced that they are allocating P1 billion from their savings for the mass immunization of all the city dwellers, ABS-CBN reported. Binay said that she wants every Makatizen to receive both doses of the vaccine.
The city officials are in talks with vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. for the procurement of the vaccine. Residents can pre-register for the immunization program starting next week. The local government vowed to help companies and businesses that would want to buy vaccines for their workers as well. According to Binay, city dwellers prefer Western brands such as Pfizer, Janssen, and AstraZeneca.
Once the pandemic task force gives a go signal for the procurement, Binay said that she will ask the city council to approve a supplemental budget.
Top Real Estate Location
Experts from the property sector are optimistic that Makati will remain a real estate hotspot because of its progressive measures to curb the coronavirus outbreak. In the third quarter of 2020, it managed to be among the top real estate locations in the capital region.
The number of pageviews and leads indicate that buyers and renters still prefer living near workplaces amid the work-from-home arrangement being the new norm. Makati commanded strong overall market demand despite the projected movement of property seekers toward locations outside Metro Manila.
The near completion of infrastructure projects in the area, including the Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge, can further bolster the demand for Makati real estate. The thoroughfare, according to the latest report from Malaya, will be operational by the second quarter of the year. Currently, the project is 72 percent completed and eight percent ahead of schedule.
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Article and Photo originally posted by Lamudi last January 8, 2021. Minor edits have been made by REBPH to cater to its own readers.
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