BACOLOD City – The City Government will collect real property tax (RPT) on the electrical poles of the Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) following the Supreme Court’s (SC) ruling on the case of Manila Electric Company against Lucena City, Quezon.
Based on its 2015 decision, the High court ruled that transformers, electric posts, transmission lines, insulators, and electric meters of Meralco are not exempted from RPT.
“So with that pronouncement, we could collect the RPT on the Ceneco’s electrical poles,” said City Assessor’s Office (CAO) head Maphilindo Polvora.
Polvora said an assessment of electrical poles will be conducted in the city noting the electrical poles are also considered as real property.
Polvora clarified that the city will be collecting RPT to Ceneco but only limited for its sub- stations and machineries.
He cited that in 2018, Ceneco has P90 million arrears to the city on their sub-stations and other machineries, which excluded the electrical poles.
Polvora said they are waiting for Ceneco’s list of electrical posts so that they could already conduct a proper assessment.
“If the we can collect RPT, it will reduce the city’s obligation for its electrical bills,” he said./PN
