QC encourages urban farms with land tax exemption

The Quezon City government over the weekend said it has streamlined the process of applying for idle land tax exemption for landowners who use their land for urban farming, as it seeks to boost food security and urban agriculture in the city.

According to the city government, landowners who wish to apply for land tax exemption can submit their application via email, including the application for waiver, latest photos of their property, and at least one copy of any of the three — latest real property tax official receipt, tax declaration, or land title.

“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,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said.

The application and the supporting forms will then be assessed by the Food Security Task Force (FSTF), and will be validated by an inspector who will also conduct a field inspection and make recommendations regarding approval.

“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 co-chairerson Emmanuel Hugh Velasco said.

Upon validation, the applicant will then be issued an Urban Agriculture Activity Certification (UAAC), which signifies that the landowner has already initiated urban agriculture activities in the area.

Applicants with successful applications will receive an email notice from the City Assessor’s Office (CAO).

The terms indicate, however, that exemptions may be terminated should there be no agricultural activities within a year.

This comes as Belmonte in 2020 approved the exemption from idle land tax payment of landowners of areas used for urban agriculture such as gardening for at least three years. Produce from the land can then be used for personal or public consumption.—RF, GMA Integrated News