The Orienal Negros government is having difficulty in the collection of real property taxes, and has a collection efficiency of only 60 to 65 percent, the last among the four provinces in Region 7.

One of the reasons cited was the coverage of most areas under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.

Before the CARP implementation, the province used to collect real property taxes from few landed individuals, but with CARP, some, if not most of the beneficiaries, are now incapable of paying the taxes.

Valencia municipal treasurer Rolando Obaniana said that in his town, the average collection is also 60 percent because paying real property taxes is the least priority of the people.

Their number one priority is education and basic needs, he said.

A compromise agreement has been extended up to 2007 for delinquent real property taxpayers to pay the first installment of 10 percent and the remaining 90 percent to be paid in two years to do away with the 2 percent monthly surcharge.

However, they can avail of the compromise agreement only after paying their current taxes.*

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