New fair market values, building permit fees

I ATTENDED the public hearing regarding the proposed fair market values and new building permit fees and other charges Thursday morning held at the Cagayan de Oro City Tourism Hall. Below is the story I filed for our daily newsflyer, The Power:


It’s fair enough, Kagay-anons
say of new fair market values
By Raul G. Moldez

THE City Council assured Kagay-anons it will take note and consider their reactions, suggestions and comments on the proposed new schedule of fair market values and building permit fees and other charges.

At the public hearing Thursday morning at the City Tourism Hall, Vice Mayor Michelle Tagarda-Spiers said the adoption of both schedules is long overdue, even as she thanked civic groups, nongovernment organizations, landowners, developers, barangay officials, regional offices and other sectors for attending the public consultation.

“It is not only mandated by law. It is long overdue,” she said, stressing that under the 1991 Local Government Code, local government units are mandated to revise fair market values every three years. “Since 1997, there were no changes. We should have done three revisions already.”

“If you compare Cagayan de Oro City between 1997 and 2006, there is a world of difference. Cagayan de Oro has boomed, bloomed and blossomed so much,” the vice mayor pointed out.

Vice Mayor Spiers said the adoption of the new fair market values is necessary to enable the city to “keep pace with the changes” of time.

“We will consider your proposals before we will finally approve the schedule,” she added.

City Assessor Atinodoro Asequia pointed out that under Sections 219 and 212 of RA 7160, also known as the 1991 Local Government Code, each LGU is authorized to revise fair market value schedule every three years.

In the proposed schedule, the City Assessor claimed that the increase is very minimal.

Based on the figures presented by the City Assessor, the increase is pegged at the average of 20-percent from the existing rates, except in posh housing subdivisions.

“The increase is arrived at after making consultations with the realtors and other sectors. It is fair, just and reasonable,” Asequia said, adding that the valuation is based on the actual use.

Assessment officials said the city’s assessment level is lower than Cebu’s and Iligan’s.

Barangay kagawad Camilo Sario of Bugo said the new valuation is fair enough. “It means 2 percent a year,” he said, referring to the number of years the city had not effected changes in the fair market value.

After the presentation of the fair market values by the City Assessor, officials of the City Building Office presented the new schedule of building permit fees and other charges based on the new provisions of the IRR of the National Building Code.

The public hearing was presided by Councilor Juan Sia, chair of the City Council committee on finance, and attended by Vice Mayor Spiers, Councilors Maryanne Enteria, Reynaldo Advincula, Ian Mark Nacaya, Alexander Dacer, Caesar Ian Acenas and Alfonso Goking.*