Paranaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez announced on Monday, Feb. 7, that the city's Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) headed by Atty. Melanie Soriano-Malaya was able to collect P3.6-billion in business taxes for the year 2021.
Olivarez, during Monday's virtual flag raising ceremony, said that when he assumed office as city mayor in 2013, the city had a total of P935-million collection from business taxes.
He said Malaya, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, raised the collection to P3.6 billion by easing the application and renewal of business permits via online transactions.
The mayor said businesses around the city were given easy application, renewal, payment, assessment of their business permits processes online.
Olivarez also said the city government offered the first ever business tax amnesty to local businesses operating in the city.
He said the City Council approved an ordinance granting amnesty on penalties, surcharges, and interest incurred on unpaid business taxes and certain fees due within the period of March 2020 until December 31, 2021.