Bureau of Local Government Finance Opinion

August 18, 2003 BUREAU OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE OPINION 2nd Indorsement Respectfully referred to the Provincial Assessor and the Provincial Treasurer, both of the Province of Batangas, Batangas City. This refers to the within preceding indorsement of the OIC-Regional Director, BLGF Regional Office, Region IV-A, People's Mansion Compound, Batangas City, requesting appropriate action and/or further instructions, relative to the recomputation of realty tax due from the assessment of real properties owned by the Steel Corporation of the Philippines (STEELCORP) located at Balayan, same province. The request of the OIC-Regional Director is premised on the information submitted by the Provincial Treasurer, as embodied under his letter dated January 3, 2003, copy enclosed, that the recomputation of real property tax liabilities on the subject real properties (machinery and equipment) of the said corporation has not yet been determined, pending the final assessment by the Office of the said Provincial Assessor. ESCcaT It may be recalled, in this regard, that this Bureau, under our 1st Indorsement dated April 21, 2003, copy also enclosed, has already ruled that "the assessment made by the Provincial Assessor of Batangas on the subject property of STEELCORP has become final and unappealable ." (Emphasis ours) In view hereof, the assessed values of the subject real properties amounting to Two Billion Seventeen Million Nine Hundred Fifty Thousand One Hundred and Eighty Pesos (P2,017,950,180.00), as indicated under our abovementioned 1st Indorsement, is now considered due and demandable. In view of the foregoing, the Offices of both the Provincial Assessor and the Provincial Treasurer are hereby instructed to enjoin/coordinate in order to expedite the collection of real property tax payment from the STEELCORP, including the application of legal remedies, if necessary. Report of action taken hereon soonest is desired. (SGD.) MA. PRESENTACION R. MONTESA Executive Director