Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez on Wednesday urged taxpayers to take advantage of the extended deadline for payment of business taxes, permits, and licenses, which was moved to Jan. 31.
The extension of the deadline was made following the approval of a council resolution to accommodate the large volume of taxpayers that showed up last week at city hall to beat the January 25 deadline.
The resolution also entitles taxpayers who pay their business taxes in full to a 10-percent discount for the duration of the extension period.
“Those with statement of account dated January 2 to 25 are extended up to January 31 or a six-day extension with no penalty will be imposed. However, from February 1 onwards, we will be imposing penalty or surcharge,” Olivarez disclosed.
He said they decided to extend the renewal period after learning that the Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO) has been receiving numerous registrations and renewals.
When the city government launched the Project Express Lane Operation or Project ELO two years ago, assessments nearly doubled to P81 million compared with the P46 million generated in the first working day of 2018, according to BPLO chief lawyer Melanie Malaya.
“We urge our taxpayers to take advantage of the extension to avoid incurring additional penalties and surcharges,” said Malaya.
In 2018, the BPLO collected P2.5 billion in business taxes and fees from 23,000 business registrants citywide. Malaya added her office is expecting an increase of 15 percent business applicants through Project ELO this year.
Last year, the city government relaunched the project to ELO 2.0, a simplified and integrated business permit renewal system to enhance investor confidence and improve service delivery to local and foreign investors.
Malaya said the city is the first local government unit in the country to integrate the barangay business clearance in their BOSS (business one-stop shop) operations in city hall, making the city fully compliant with Republic Act 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business Act.
She explained that Paranaque saw a 23-percent increase in business applicants this year following the opening of big malls, mega-casinos and hotels at the Entertainment City along Coastal Road, and several businesses along the stretches of Sucat Road and Roxas Boulevard.