By Jun Ramirez
CEBU CITY - Proprietary or business activities of local government units (LGUs) are subject to taxation, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) said.
BIR (Manila Bulletin File Photo)
Tax exempt, it said, are earnings of LGUs derived from the performance of governmental functions like collection of real estate tax and mayor's permit fees.
Cebu Revenue Regional Director Eduardo Pagulayan, Jr. issued the clarification as the Municipality of Oslob was slapped with income, value-added and withholding taxes for collecting registration fee from local and foreign tourists watching the "butanding" or whale shark show.
He said BIR Commissioner Caesar Dulay had issued recently Revenue Ruling No. 369-11 classifying the whale watching as a proprietary activity.
"If an LGU operates a mall or leases a building, the rentals paid by tenants are taxable because the activity is proprietary, not involving whatsoever with the administration and governance of the territory and inhabitants within the municipality, " Pagulayan added.
He urged local governments elsewhere to pay taxes due on their proprietary operations to escape paying fines and surcharges.
BIR (Manila Bulletin File Photo)
Tax exempt, it said, are earnings of LGUs derived from the performance of governmental functions like collection of real estate tax and mayor's permit fees.
Cebu Revenue Regional Director Eduardo Pagulayan, Jr. issued the clarification as the Municipality of Oslob was slapped with income, value-added and withholding taxes for collecting registration fee from local and foreign tourists watching the "butanding" or whale shark show.
He said BIR Commissioner Caesar Dulay had issued recently Revenue Ruling No. 369-11 classifying the whale watching as a proprietary activity.
"If an LGU operates a mall or leases a building, the rentals paid by tenants are taxable because the activity is proprietary, not involving whatsoever with the administration and governance of the territory and inhabitants within the municipality, " Pagulayan added.
He urged local governments elsewhere to pay taxes due on their proprietary operations to escape paying fines and surcharges.