Marikina City Mayor Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro signed on Monday, Jan. 15, Ordinance No. 140, which will grant a 100 percent business permit and business tax exemption to qualified small business owners in the city.
The ordinance aims to help small businesses, which include sari-sari stores and carinderias in the city, stating that the country is still suffering from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
It stated that sari-sari stores and carinderias or eateries with a start-up capital of not more than P10,000, or an annual gross receipt of not more than P180,000 are covered by the ordinance.
It also stated that the exemption period of business tax, business permit, and local regulatory fees and charges shall begin January 1, 2024 and end on December 31, 2024.
All qualified small businesses will be issued the necessary certificate of exemption by the Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO).
Meanwhile, sari-sari stores and eateries that sell cigarettes and/or liquor regardless of start-up capital are excluded from the exemption in business tax, business permit, and regulatory fees as well as sari-sari stores and eateries with a start-up capital of more than P10,000.
The city mayor said that they are providing tax relief to small business owners to help them recover from the effects of the pandemic.
"Ginagawa natin ito hindi para makita lang. Hindi para ipagyabang. Ginagawa natin ito para makatulong… kaya naisipan natin na ito na imbis na i-discount, ililibre na lang natin ang business tax (We are not doing this to brag, but we are doing this to help them... so we thought that instead of discounting, we will just exempt them in business tax),” he said.
Teodoro also signed Ordinance No. 139 which extends the period for renewal of business permits without surcharges and penalties until March 31.
"(The extension period for renewal of business permits is) in support of the thrust of the administration to encourage and support businesses in the City, there is a need to provide an extension on the timely payment of such taxes, fees or charges, to give ample time to business owners in the City to file their respective application," the ordinance stated.
Teodoro, in extending the renewal of business permits, said he understands the struggle of owners to keep their businesses afloat.
He said that Jan. 20 was supposed to be the deadline for the renewal, but they decided to extend it until March 31 to make sure that every business owner has enough time to save for the renewal.
"Siguradong may mga hindi makakapagbayad on time kasi uunahin muna yung mga kailangan sa tindahan. Kaya inextend natin muna ngayon ang ating business permit… hanggang kaya nating ibigay yun, ibibigay natin. Ganun ang taga Marikina (There are definitely those who cannot pay on time because the things needed at their store will be their first priority. So we have now decided to extend the renewal business permit... as long as we can give them time, we will give it, that is how Marikeños are),” he said.
The mayor and Vice Mayor Marion Andres personally handed tax relief certificates to owners of sari-sari stores and carinderias after signing the ordinances.
The city government first implemented the full business permit and business tax exemption for sari-sari and carinderia stores in 2017 through the directives of Teodoro.
In January 2023, the mayor also extended the deadline for renewing business permits to aid owners of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) who have been impacted by the pandemic and economic crisis in the city.