How to pay Manila Real Property Tax (Amilyar) online for Tax Year 2022

This post is as much for me as it is for anyone who needs help paying their Manila property taxes online. I first tried online payment in January 2021 to pay for Tax Year 2021's property tax and I recently finished paying for tax year 2022.

I already wrote a step by step how-to article in early 2021 but for whatever reason, the screen caps aren't showing and I don't feel like going back to fix it. Some bits in the original article needed minor corrections and I wanted a TLDR anyway so I decided to just a write a new guide.

Before I get into it, a quick reminder and pro tip. Pay for the whole coming year's tax before the following deadlines and you get a significant discount on your property taxes. Ignore the dates on the O.R. Those haven't been updated. You can DYOR for the relevant memorandum circular announcing the date change. Please also note that separate transactions are required to pay for the lot tax and the building tax, so you will make TWO payment transactions PER PROPERTY you own.

Dates to remember:

• 20% discount if you pay in full on or before December 10, 2021.
• 15% discount if you pay in full on or before December 29, 2021.
• 10% discount if you pay in full on or before January 31, 2022.

Have last year's RP tax receipt on hand for faster reference. You can also call the service hotline at +632 8527 7804 to ask for information on your RP Tax, tax declaration number (TDN), or property identification number (PIN). Detailed version after the TLDR cut.

Steps TLDR:

1. Log in to the GO! MANILA website or the app.
2. Pay LOT TAX. Use 12-digit TDN + 14-digit PIN. Select preferred MOP and pay.
3. Pay BUILDING TAX. Use 12-digit TDN + 19-digit PIN. Select preferred MOP and pay.
4. Go back to the website/app and upload a photo of the payment receipt for each transaction.
5. Retrieve physical OR copy at Manila City Hall Computer Services in the License Division Office.

---

Detailed Step by Step Guide:

There are two ways to pay your RP Tax online: through the GO! MANILA (1) website or (2) the app which is available for Android and iOS. So far I've done it twice through the website (for tax years 2021 and 2022), but I used the android app to upload the payment receipts for 2022. For first time users, you'll need to create an account before proceeding. The following steps will be for Kiosk payments (through 7/11 Cliqq). 

Step 1. Log in to the website or app.

Step 2. Click click click.

Click the E-Government icon > click RP Tax > Select transaction type: TAX PAYMENT.

Step 3. Pay your LOT TAX.

3-1. Input details.

1. 12-digit lot Tax Declaration Number (TDN). Format: AA-09876-54321
2. 14-digit lot Property Identification Number (PIN). Format: 123-45-678-901-234
3. Select the year you're paying for (example: 2022).
4. Select the period (select "4th quarter" to pay for the whole year).

3-2. Review the property information and tax amount. Select a valid ID to present when you claim the physical tax receipt. Click Pay Now.

• Make sure the address on your ID matches the address of the property tax. If not, you'll need other proof of residence such as utility bills for that property in your name. This page will also show a summary of the transaction (account name, TDN, PIN, period being paid for, tax amount).
  

3-3. A new window will open. Choose a method of payment (Kiosk machines, Bayad Center, Visa / Mastercard, Banks, Online Banking). I chose Kiosk. A QR code and reference number will be given. You will also receive a text with the reference number.

• There's a convenience fee for using e-payment facilities and a further 2.5% service charge for using Mastercard (not sure about VISA cards). Be careful when clicking. I was clicking on each MOP to see which one had the cheapest  fees and clicking on kiosk finalized the transaction. Fortunately, it had the same convenience fee as online banking, which was the option I chose for 2021 RP tax. In my experience, Online Banking and Kiosk payments have the cheapest fees and Credit Card payments are the most expensive.

Left: This is the window payment gate if you choose Visa/Mastercard. Note the service charge on top of the convenience fee.
Right: Accepted banks for payment via online banking.

3-4. Go to your nearest 7/11 Cliqq. Choose Bills Payment. Select Multipay LGU of Manila. Input the Account Name (as seen in the summary), reference number, and total amount due (tax + convenience fee). The kiosk machine will print a bar code receipt, which you will present to the cashier. Wait for SMS confirmation of receipt of payment from GO!MANILA. I received the  SMS within 5 minutes of successful transaction.

3-5. Go back to website/app. On the website homepage, scroll down to Transaction History. This should now show "PAID." Click View Details and upload a picture of the payment receipt.

Step 4. Pay your BUILDING TAX.

Repeat the steps above in Step 3, but you will use a different 12-digit TDN (format: AA-09876-54322) and 19-digit PIN (format: 123-45-678-901-234-B0001). These numbers are found on your old tax receipts. Make sure to click the checkbox that says 19 Digit Format. 

Step 5. Claim RP tax official receipt.

Or don't. I don't plan on going to city hall this year to claim it. Instead I'm going to wait for them to email me a scanned copy. When I went there in January this year to claim the OR for the 2021 RP Tax, this is what happened. I'm just going to quote my original article:

"I asked if they can email a scanned copy of the O.R. for future tax payments. They replied that they usually email the scanned O.R. and keep the original once they have it, but this may be delayed due to the large number of payments made. She said that prior to the pandemic, they would even courier the original O.R. Courier delivery has since been suspended due to recent events. Those who require the original copy O.R. have no choice but to pick it up themselves (or through an authorized representative)."

If you still plan on going, here's where to claim it and how I did it.

"You can claim the original O.R. at the Computer Services division, which is currently inside the License Division as of January 27, 2021. Just bring your government-issued ID and proof of payment (payment receipt or screenshot of online transaction with reference code) according to the GO! Manila site. When I went to pick up mine, they required my ID and last year's SOA too."

2021 RP tax O.R. that I claimed from city hall.

---

For problems encountered during the process, you can check GO! MANILA'S FAQ page here for contact numbers.

I will update this article if there are any changes to the process next year. Cheers! xo

How I track my monthly bills (and shameless plug)

In the olden days when we received our bills via snail mail, I would collect and file each billing statement in neatly labeled folders. Those folders are still around somewhere in my house, collecting dust as I type. I much prefer electronic bills but only a few companies offered that option until recent years. Thankfully all my billers now provide digital bill statements and convenient online payment options. It has made it much easier for me to pay my bills on time.

I then started tracking my bills on a spreadsheet. After each payment, I automatically logged it in my tracker. I thought it was just me but apparently there are lots of other people who spreadsheets everything. You can even buy ready to use tracker spreadsheets on stores like Etsy! *hint hint*

My 2019-2020 spreadsheet looked like this. I didn't just track how much and when I paid, I also put in the bill number, consumption, and which platform I used. I liked having it all on the spreadsheet so I could see all the information I wanted at a glance. It's not the cleanest or even prettiest looking tracker but it worked for me.

With 2020 being an unprecented shit show, I had time to work on my tracker and spruce it up a bit. It looks like this now. I put the overview table on top and color coded each biller company. Certain cells lit up based on the date or if I already paid so it's easier for me to see which bills are paid or unpaid. I do have calendar alerts reminding me to pay my bills but those are individually set and I don't always automatically pay. Sometimes I'm busy and defer until evening or the following day, or I may forget altogether. So it helps me when I pay for one biller, log it in the tracker, and see that I overlooked paying another biller. Very helpful trackers are.

I use this tracker (both on my laptop and my android devices) a lot so I thought maybe someone else who likes no fuss spreadsheets would like it too. I put this and the vertically stacked version of this template up on my Etsy if you want to buy the template and support me. It's PHP 100 or about USD 2.00 so it's very cheap. You don't have to of course, but it would be much appreciated it. :)

Here's a closer look. I know I'm biased but isn't it pretty? <3

UPDATED: How to pay Manila Real Property Tax (Amilyar) online in 2021

Owners of properties in the City of Manila can easily pay real property tax (RP tax) online. This is how I did it through the GO Manila website. Just be aware that there is a service charge added to the amount you have to pay. The service charge varies depending on the tax owed and the payment option you decide to use. For example, I noticed the total amount for the credit card option is ~50 pesos more expensive than the online banking option. Sayang singkwenta.

Edit: Please note that separate transactions are required to pay for the lot tax and the building tax. So you will make TWO payment transactions per property you own.

STEP 1: Log In 

Go to https://www.cityofmanila.ph/ or open the app and log in. If you don’t have an account yet, sign up and create an account.

STEP 2: Select E-Government 

On the top of the screen or on the left side of the home page under your name and photo, you’ll see 6 headings or boxes. Click on E-Government, then click Real Property Tax. 

STEP 3: Select transaction type 

Select transaction type: TAX PAYMENT. 

STEP 4: Input details 

Input the following required data and click submit. 

Tax Declaration Number (TDN) 

The TDN consists of 12 alphanumeric characters (ex. AD-12345-67890). You can see this on your statement of account or official receipt from previous years. You can also call the service hotline at +632 8527 7804 to ask for information on your RP Tax, TDN, or PIN. 

Property Identification Number (PIN) 

For the lot tax, your PIN is a 14-digit number (000-00-000-000-000). The building tax PIN is basically the same as the lot tax PIN but with 5 additional alphanumeric characters (000-00-000-000-000-A0000). You can only use one PIN at a time, hence the need for two transactions to pay for your RP Tax.

Year 

Select which year’s RP tax you will be paying for. 

Period 

Choices are 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quarter. Selecting “4th quarter” means you’ve chosen to pay for the whole year in advance. If you can afford it, I highly recommend paying for the whole year in advance to save money. There are corresponding discounts if you pay on or before a set deadline.

    20% discount if you pay in full on or before December 10, 2020. 

    15% discount if you pay in full on or before December 29, 2020. 

    10% discount if you pay in full on or before January 31, 2021.

STEP 5: Review Property Information 

Review your property information and the tax amount. Choose a valid ID to present upon claiming (ex. Passport, SSS, UMID). Then click “Pay Now”. 

STEP 6: Payment 

A new window called “Payment Gateway” will open. Select your desired payment option and follow the instructions provided. Options available include: Visa/Mastercard, Kiosk Machines, Bayad Center, Banks, Online Banking. Take a screenshot of your successful payment or a photo of your payment receipt. 

STEP 7: SMS Confirmation 

Wait for SMS confirmation of payment and then verify by visiting the GO Manila home page. Scroll down and you will see on the left side of the screen under Transaction History the status of your payment. Successful payments will be marked PAID. 

The payment is supposed to reflect in real time but there may be a waiting period depending on your payment option. I chose to pay through online banking (24-48 hours processing) and my payment was only reflected on the website after several hours. 

STEP 8: Upload Payment Receipt 

Click Upload Your Payment Receipt. Drag and drop the file or click Choose a local file. Once the photo is loaded, click Add. A small green box of text will show up on the right side of the screen, indicating successful upload into the system. Et voila! You are done. Easy peasy. 

Want to double check if you’ve successfully paid and uploaded your receipt? 

Back on the home page under Transaction History, click on View Details and you’ll see your paid status and a button on top of it that says View Payment Receipt.

STEP 9: RP Tax Official Receipt 

You can claim the original O.R. at the Computer Services division, which is currently inside the License division as of January 27, 2021. Just bring your government issued ID and proof of payment (payment receipt or screenshot of online transaction with reference code) according to the GO Manila site. When I went to pick up mine, they required my ID and last year's SOA too.

I asked if they can email a scanned copy of the O.R. for future tax payments. They replied that they usually email the scanned O.R. and keep the original once they have it, but this may be delayed due to the large number of payments made. She said that prior to the pandemic, they would even courier the original O.R. Courier delivery has since been suspended due to recent events. Those who require the original copy O.R. have no choice but to pick it up themselves (or through an authorized representative).

All about GO! Manila online services

What is GO Manila? 

GO Manila is a digital service platform provided by the City of Manila for online access to essential city services. 

Why should you make an account? 

It is easy and convenient! No need to line up at City Hall. And more importantly, for your safety. Online services minimize the need for you to go out and possibly get exposed during this pandemic. 

What are the services currently offered? 

There 6 main subpages or headings. 

1. E-Government 
Real property tax, business tax, local civil registry, business permit application (new and renewal), occupational permits and health certificates (temporary and permanent), OVR -ordinance violation receipt system, community tax certificate (cedula) for individuals and businesses, and NOV - notice of violation. 

Coming soon: Manila social ameliorization beneficiaries, hospital management and administration system, Manila public market management and administration system, and Manila jobs portal.

2. E-Bills 

Pay selected utility services, airlines, online shopping, NBI, and POEA. 

3. E-Services (coming soon) 

4. E-Commerce (coming soon) 

5. E-News 

Videos on how to use GO Manila and city news updates. 

6. E-Wallet 

You can cash in for as little as 100 pesos and use it to pay for bills or send funds to other people. 

How to create a GO Manila account? 

The platform can be accessed via web or through their mobile app available on both iOS and Google Playstore. 

Through their website 

1. Go to https://www.cityofmanila.ph/

2. Click Sign Up and create an account. You will need a mobile number, a valid email address, and a valid government ID. 

3. Input your details. Make sure your name matches your ID.

4. Upload your photo and valid ID.

5. All done! :)

Through the mobile app 

Same process as when making an account on the web. Just download the app. 

Reference: https://www.cityofmanila.ph/about