ANAKALUSUGAN party-list Rep. Mike Defensor has urged the Quezon City government to give an additional 10-percent discount on real estate taxes of property owners in Quezon City starting in January 2022.

“This would be a pandemic relief to city residents and those who own pieces of real estate in Quezon City,” Defensor said.

Defensor said real estate owners in the city are at present entitled to a 20-percent discount if they advance their tax payments for the entire year during the first quarter.

“That is their entitlement for advancing their payments. On top of that, the city should give them a 10-percent discount because of the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease-19) pandemic. It’s a way of helping and giving back to taxpayers,” Defensor said.

Defensor, who is running for city mayor in the May 2022 elections, added that the city could very well afford the additional tax reduction.

“Real estate revenues are just a small fraction of the city’s income. The bigger part comes from business taxes,” he stressed.

He pointed out that based on its own report, the city earned more than P22 billion last year from local taxes, in addition to billions in internal revenue allotments or share from national tax revenues turned over by the national government

Earlier, he and his vice mayor-running mate District 2 Councilor Winnie Castelo, proposed a five-percent business tax discount.

At the same time, Defensor reiterated his call for the city to scrap the increase in the tax on residential, commercial and industrial lots in Quezon City that is due to take effect in January 2023.

He said the increase, imposed under Ordinance No. 2556, is just suspended until December 2022 under at least two subsequent city ordinances.

He said if the people of Quezon City elect him and Castelo, they would permanently scrap the projected lot tax adjustment.

“Our people are already struggling from the pandemic, with many workers finding it hard to support their families’ daily needs. We should not add to their financial burden,” he said.

He reminded city hall that the tax on homes, apartments, buildings, and other enhancements on land already jumped substantially last year when the higher tax on improvements under Ordinance No. 2556 took effect.