Makati City excludes 10 EMBO barangays in 2024 tax allocation

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 5) — Makati City on Friday said that 10 EMBO barangays will be excluded from the city’s national tax allotment (NTA) for 2024.

City administrator Claro Certeza cited Department of Budget and Management's (DBM) Budget Memorandum No. 87-A dated Dec. 28, 2023, which provides that Makati City will only be receiving its NTA for the 23 remaining barangays under its jurisdiction.

These are the 20 barangays in District 1 plus Barangays Guadalupe Viejo, Guadalupe Nuevo, and Pinagkaisahan.

“This means that Taguig has to assume full responsibility for the benefits and welfare of over 300,000 residents that are now under its jurisdiction,” said Certeza in a statement.

“It is now incumbent upon Taguig to take up the mantle of governance and welfare for these communities,” he added. “This transition marks a new chapter, not only in the administrative dynamics of our cities but also in the lives of the residents of these barangays.”

This development comes after an earlier Supreme Court ruling that Fort Bonifacio and 10 EMBO barangays (Pembo, Comembo, Cembo, South Cembo, West Rembo, East Rembo, Pitogo, Northside, Southside and Rizal) are now under the jurisdiction of Taguig City.

Moreover, Makati City noted that it will receive more than ₱1,006 billion for fiscal year 2024.

Before the EMBO barangays were removed, Makati City was supposed to receive an NTA allocation of over ₱1,775 billion.

“Makati does not rely on the NTA because of our consistent tax collection performance,” said Certeza. “Locally sourced revenues are more than enough to fund our 2024 budget, not to mention the savings gained from the subsidies previously given to the EMBO barangays.”

Citing the Department of Finance, Makati City said it has a total revenue of ₱24.8 billion as of December 2023. It also has an approved city budget of ₱19.7 billion for 2024.

'Locked' fire stations in Taguig

Meanwhile, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, the husband of Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano, slammed the Makati City government for locking the fire stations at the EMBO barangays over the holidays.

«The people of EMBO and Taguig were put in grave danger nung Christmas Eve until