A CEBU City councilor wants to implement a five-year exemption on business taxes for businessmen who plan to put up theme parks, adventure parks and similar entities in the city.
At the same time, the local legislator is also proposing a 25 percent reduction in the amusement tax rate of the said facilities.
Councilor Jose Daluz III, who chairs the council’s committee on budget and finance, said his proposal was meant to encourage business owners to venture into parks.
“This will serve as an incentive to a businessman who wants to venture into such kind of businesses,” he said.
Daluz, in an interview, believes that adventure parks that offer among others ziplines, theme parks and zoos should be supported.
“Aron daghan sad investor ganahan mo-invest diri sa atong syudad (So that investors will be enticed to invest in our city). We have the mountain barangays that can be used as location for this kind of establishments,” he added.
Mayor Michael Rama , in a separte interview, supports Daluz’s proposals, saying it will give joy to the children.
He, however, said the reduction of amusement tax should be 20 percent.
In the current set-up, the City collects 30 percent tax on the gross receipts of places of amusement.
Daluz said he already brought up his plan to City Treasurer Ofelia Oliva, who he said has expressed no opposition.
Daluz said he also asked Oliva if the reduction of taxes won’t affect the P6-billion target collection of the City Government for this year.
“And she said mabawi ra daw (it can be recovered) because these establishments are magnets of tourists, profit-generating,” he said.
Sun.Star Cebu tried to call Oliva, but calls were left unanswered.
Daluz said he will be filing two ordinances that will cover his two proposals before the City Council.
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on January 16, 2011.
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