Makati City Mayor Abby Binay announced on Wednesday, Oct. 26, that the city government has received three awards from the Department of Finance's Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF) for being one of the top performing local government units (LGU) in the country in terms of revenue generation in 2021.
Binay said the city has been recognized as the Top 2 performing LGU in the country and Top 2 performing city in Metro Manila based on the 2021 highest locally sourced revenues.
Makati was also recognized as a Local Revenue Generation Hall of Famer based on the highest locally sourced revenues from 2018 to 2020.
According to the BLGF, Makati's locally sourced revenue in 2021 amounted to P13,777,253,256.
"I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the taxpayers, particularly the business sector, for doing their part despite pandemic challenges. The business sector has been especially vital to our continued success, supporting our residents with jobs and contributing to the local economy through taxes and other fees," Binay said.
The mayor attributed the Makati's sustained financial stability to the strong investor confidence it has continued to enjoy, buoyed by the reforms and smart innovations instituted by the city government over the past six years.
As of October 26, the city government has approved the registration of 3,875 new businesses this year, which have a combined capital investment worth P23.2 billion.
The city's strong revenue generation efforts are also a result of the strategic collaboration among all departments in the city government to create efficient revenue collection systems and processes, as well as effective policies that support these systems.
"I would like to thank the DOF-BLGF for these awards. These awards serve as a testament to the hard work and dedication our employees have put in to help the city strive and succeed in revenue generation," Binay said.
The local chief added that the awards are a recognition of Makati's innovative and efficient methods of raising revenue, which she hopes will inspire other local governments in their efforts to generate more income.
"We have always been at the forefront of shaping and implementing innovative solutions to provide convenience to all our stakeholders. Through these awards, we hope to inspire other local governments to do the same and ultimately help our nation prosper," she said.
As part of its efforts in alleviating the adverse social and economical effects brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, the city government launched the MAKA-Connect of the Makatizen Online Assessment and Payment Portal, which allows residents and business owners to pay their taxes and renew their business permits online.
Binay explained that the portal prevents crowding at the city hall since it enables the residents and business owners to settle their government processes without the need for them to personally come to the city hall.
It also addresses the issue of fixers since taxpayers only need to go to www.makationlinepayments.com and type their Business ID or Tax Declaration Number. After that, they may pay taxes online or over the counter and download a copy of the official electronic receipt.
The mayor added that taxpayers will be able to pay taxes via GCash by the end of the year and through Visa or Mastercard by the first quarter of next year.
The three awards from the BLGF are just the latest recognitions Makati City has received for the month of October due to its exemplary public service and top-notch programs in various aspects of local governance.
On Oct. 24, the city has been recognized by the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) for its tourism-oriented programs and initiatives that further cement Makati’s identity of not just being the country’s financial hub, but also a tourism, arts, and cultural center.
Binay said Makati City was recognized by the school during its first Philippine Tourism Excellence Awards for Good Local Governance.
The mayor explained that tourism is a major contributor to the country’s economy as it provides jobs and generates income for many families, hence, the need to improve and protect its different tourist sites and heritage areas.
On Oct. 17, Makati City was named by a renowned travel website as one of the safest cities in the country that tourists can visit.
According to Travel Safe-Abroad.com, the city ranked sixth in its latest list of 10 Safest Cities in the Philippines due to its low crime index.
The website said the city has a crime index of 39.55, similar to the cities of Dumaguete and Iloilo, from a range of zero to 100, with 100 being the worst.