A number of landed individuals in Dumaguete City who failed to pay real property taxes are being compelled to settle their obligations, lest their landholdings will be confiscated or they be exposed as delinquent taxpayers.

Provincial treasurer Danilo Mendez said many taxpayers have already settled their obligations, for fear that their properties will be subjected to public auction.

He said these taxpayers also did not want to be identified as tax evaders or delinquent taxpayers.

Mendez said several landowners from Pamplona, a town 42 kilometers northwest of Dumaguete, have settled more than P300,000 in real property tax to the municipal treasurer's office as of Tuesday.

He added that other taxpayers went to his office to pay after receiving notices to subject their properties to auction.

Earlier, the Provincial Treasurer's Office has ordered municipal treasurers to list down the names of delinquent real property taxpayers.

Mendez said the massive campaign of the provincial government to collect unpaid real property taxes is aimed at generating more government income.

At present, the province has more than P100 million collectibles from real property taxes. Mendez said his office is targeting to collect at least 50 percent of the total amount this year.*RA

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