The local government of Makati on Tuesday reported exceeding its 2022 revenue target by 16 percent during the year to P20.9-billion.
Makati Mayor Abby Binay said the revenue expansion represented a nine-percent increase over 2021.
“Things are definitely looking up for the city. The significant increase in our locally-sourced revenue collection from business and real property taxes in 2022 is a clear sign of the strong trust and confidence of Makati residents and the business community in the city government,” Mayor Abby said.
She also said this development will ensure the sustained delivery of quality services to Proud Makatizens and the effective implementation of its major programs and its transformation as a smart city.
City Treasurer Jesusa Cuneta said the bulk of collections were business taxes worth P9.134 billion, 10 percent more than in 2021, while real property tax aggregated P8,147 billion or seven percent higher than total RPT collection for the period.
According to Cuneta, revenue generated from realty taxes surpassed the target by 70 percent as a result of an intensive information drive targeted at villages and condominiums reminding real property owners to settle their outstanding tax obligations.
The campaign also tapped the assistance of both the barangay government and building and condominium management.
Cuneta said the support and cooperation of barangay leaders have been instrumental to its successful outcome. “We are thankful to our barangay officials who even took charge of the delivery of notices to concerned taxpayers, making sure these reached the intended recipients,” the city official said.
Meanwhile, revenue from other local sources also increased, including fees & charges, P744.2 million (three percent) and economic enterprises, P340.7 million (66 percent).
Records of the Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) show that as of December 31, 2022, there have been 4,439 new business registrants and 34,590 business permit renewals. The new enterprises chalked up a total of P29.02 Billion in capital investments. Registered businesses in the city also reported total sales of P1.42 Trillion in 2022.
In October last year, Makati was awarded as the Top 2 performing local government unit in the country and the Top 2 performing city in Metro Manila, based on the 2021 locally sourced revenues. The city was also recognized as Local Revenue Generation Hall of Famer based on its revenue generated from local sources from 2018 to 2020.
Under the leadership of Mayor Abby since July 2016, the city government has implemented reforms at City Hall to facilitate business registration and promote transparency, including an aggressive campaign against fixers.
For five straight years, the city government received an “unmodified opinion” from the Commission on Audit after a review of its annual financial statements for fiscal years 2017 to 2021.
In June 2020 at the height of the pandemic, the city established the Makatizen Online Assessment and Payment Portal through which residents and business owners can pay their real property and business taxes, using their smartphones or laptops. This eliminated the need for them to go to City Hall and risk exposure while lining up at the counters.
In October 2021, Makati launched its first satellite office, the Makatizen Hub, at the fourth floor of SM Makati. Last December, the facility was transferred to a bigger area at the third floor of the mall, where it is open from 10am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
