Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 21) — The Quezon City government on Sunday said it has eased the process of applying for idle land tax exemption to promote food security and encourage landowners to use their land for urban farming.
“In order to strengthen our advocacy of achieving food security, landowners with idle lands that will be converted to urban farms need only to submit a one-time application to the city government. This is a win-win solution for both the landowners and the city,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said in a statement.
The local government unit (LGU) said those who wish to apply for the exemption must submit an application letter via email, a duly accomplished Application for Waiver of Idle Land Tax for Food Security, and the latest photos of their property.
Applicants should also submit at least one copy of their latest Real Property Tax official receipt, Tax Declaration, or their Land Title.
After submitting the needed documents, the Quezon City Food Security Task Force (QC-FSTF) will assess the application form and requirements.
An inspector will also be visiting the idle land, the LGU explained.
Once the application is validated, the landowner will be issued an Urban Agriculture Activity Certification (UAAC) signed by the mayor. This would prove that the landowner has begun urban agriculture activities on the land.
The UAAC will be sent to the City Assessor’s Office (CAO) for Idle Land Tax delisting. The applicant will then receive a notice from the CAO approval for the exemption in the landowner’s email.
“We highly encourage landowners of idle lands to make use of their land for urban agriculture, which can help the city achieve its food security goals, especially now that we simplified our process,” QC-FSTF’s Emmanuel Hugh Velasco said in the statement.
