BAGUIO CITY — One of the city’s early taxpayers settling their real property and business fees for 2009 in full before the end of this first quarter may end up owning  a brand new passenger jeepney this summer.

Seventy others will each receive a bag of assorted groceries while 70 more will each bring home a sack of rice during the draw set on April 17, according to city treasurer Thelma Manaois.

Business owners have until March 20 while real property owners have until March 31 to pay their fees in full and  qualify for the raffle.

Local tax operations officer IV Marietta Catriz said about 11,000 free raffle tickets had been issued out as of last week, and was hopeful the 20,000 target would be reached with over a month to go before the cut-off. 

Catriz said about 14,000  tickets were raffled last year, when major prizes were in the form of cash to allow the top winners to expand their business or open new ones.

This year, the total value of the prizes were upped by P200,000 under the incentive project dubbed “Sentenaryong Kapalaran Tungo sa Kaunlran”, in keeping with the observance of the city’s founding centennial.

The city’s social marketing project, similar to the incentive program of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, is aimed at heightening tax consciousness, reduction of delinquencies and to improve collection for the city’s service delivery programs, Manaois said.

The city treasury records reflect an annual growth rate of 2.15 percent in the business sector and 10 percent increase in the number of real property owners.

For the convenience of taxpayers, city hall maintains a “one-stop shop” at the second floor of the city’s multi-purpose hall beside the city treasurer’s office. It provides free coffee to those coming to pay their fees. – RD. d about 11,000 free raffle tickets had been issued out as of last week, and was hopeful the 20,000 target would be reached with over a month to go before the cut-off. 

Catriz said about 14,000  tickets were raffled last year, when major prizes were in the form of cash to allow the top winners to expand their business or open new ones.

This year, the total value of the prizes were upped by P200,000 under the incentive project dubbed “Sentenaryong Kapalaran Tungo sa Kaunlran”, in keeping with the observance of the city’s founding centennial. # Ramon Dacawi/PIO-Baguio