GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- The provincial government of South Cotabato is targeting a 10 percent increase in revenues next year with the implementation of its revised revenue code.
Alvim Batol, head of the Provincial Treasurer’s Office (PTO), said Thursday the additional revenues would mainly come from the adjustments in various charges and fees levied by the local government.
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan or provincial board is expected to pass by next week the revised revenue code, which is already calendared for third and final reading.
Batol said they pushed for the passage of the revised revenue code which has not been reviewed and adjusted for more than five years.
“We have to find ways to increase our revenues to also cope with the present needs and the socio-economic situation,” he said.
For this year, the provincial government has targeted collection of around P1.69 billion from local taxes and related charges.
As of the end of October, the PTO already reported total collections of P1.5 billion or just short of around P192 million.
Batol said they are currently on track to meet their tax collection target before the end of the year.
Last month, the Bureau of Local Government Finance feted Batol as the best provincial treasurer in Region 12 in terms of real property tax collection and third for business tax, fees and charges.
For 2018, Batol said the local government would focus on increasing its local tax collection as it moves to eventually become less dependent on the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) from the national government.
“There is a need for us to be more aggressive on our tax campaigns,” he said.
The local government adopted various strategies to improve its efficiency in the collection of local taxes and the revenues of its economic enterprises and other income-generating facilities.
These include the provincial hospital in Koronadal City, three municipal hospitals, South Cotabato Sports Complex, South Cotabato Gym and Cultural Center, and the Productivity and Technology or ProTech Center.
The local government had completed the initial rehabilitation of various facilities of the provincial sports complex as part of the move.
Expansions are ongoing at local government-run hospitals, which remain among the top income sources of the provincial government.(HST/PNA)
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