Saigon Zoo honored for good tax payment

In the list of 136 enterprises honored by the Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department today, December 20, Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden is included.

Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden honored for good tax payment - Photo: CHAU TUAN

Many familiar names were honored

Today, the Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department held a conference to honor businesses with effective production and business achievements and good implementation of tax policies and laws in 2023.

In this list, there are 15 companies awarded certificates of merit by the General Department of Taxation, 106 enterprises awarded certificates of merit by the Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department, and the rest are enterprises awarded certificates of merit by the Ministry of Finance.

This year’s list of honorees includes many familiar names. Most notably, the name of Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens LLC appears.

Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden has attracted public attention in recent days when on December 10, Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden "called for help" because it was facing the risk of having to stop operating due to lack of funds when it was forced to pay back nearly 800 billion VND in land rental debt.

In 2014, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee signed a decision to lease land with an area of ^{​​158,117m2} for public use under an annual payment regime for a period of 50 years. The annual land rent is 163.3 billion VND.

However, the commercial area only occupies a very small area (about ^5,600m2 ) and Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden has paid the annual fee. The remaining area is completely used for conservation work.

After Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens "called for help", on the afternoon of December 11, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment met with representatives of Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens Company Limited (Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens) to guide the dossier to adjust the land lease decision No. 5918 of 2014 of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee.

On the sidelines of the 20th session of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council on December 11, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Phan Van Mai said that he had assigned the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to review and scrutinize decisions on land allocation and land lease.

"The part used for production and business will be rented out, and the part used for general services must be calculated appropriately, and can be transferred without calculating land rental fees. When adjusting, the Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department will base on the regulations to recalculate," said Mr. Mai.

Mr. Mai also emphasized that he will remove difficulties and not let the zoo stop operating.

In addition to the Zoo, the list of commended companies includes many other companies such as: Mobile Technology Vietnam Co., Ltd.; Decathlon Vietnam Co., Ltd., Keppel Land Watco-II, Plaza Hotel Joint Venture Co., Ltd.; Saigon Port, Saigon Co.op Binh Tan Co., Ltd., Rach Mieu Co., Can Nhon Hoa; Tam Duc Heart Hospital; Nha Be Garment, Gia An 115 Hospital, Digital World Joint Stock Company, My Hao Cosmetics...

Recognizing and honoring the contributions of businesses and entrepreneurs

Many businesses were commended for good tax payment today - Photo: AH

Notably, there are up to 15 foreign banks on the commendation list such as: Keb Hana Bank - Ho Chi Minh City Branch, MUFG Bank, Ltd - Ho Chi Minh City Branch, United Overseas Bank; China Construction Bank, Corporation, BNB Paribas, Mizuho Bank, lTD - Ho Chi Minh City Branch; Deutsche Bank AG - Ho Chi Minh City Branch...

According to Mr. Nguyen Nam Binh, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department, in 2024, the socio-economic situation has shown positive signs. To date, total domestic revenue in 2024 has reached more than 373,000 billion VND, reaching 106.2% of the estimate, up 14.1% over the same period.

Mr. Nguyen Nam Binh said that this positive result is practical proof of the utmost efforts of businesses, entrepreneurs, taxpayers, and the support from agencies and departments in creating favorable conditions for production and business.

Therefore, the conference to honor exemplary taxpayers is a recognition and honor of the great contributions of businesses and entrepreneurs to the development of Ho Chi Minh City.

"In the coming time, the Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department will continue to accompany and share difficulties and problems with taxpayers; create favorable conditions in the tax field so that taxpayers can feel secure and focus on developing production and business," Mr. Binh emphasized.

Mr. Nguyen Tien Dung - Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department - said that in the coming time, Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department will continue to promote digital transformation, apply information technology, reform administrative procedures, create the most favorable conditions and save costs for taxpayers.

"At the same time, we are committed to ensuring publicity, transparency and fairness in the implementation of tax obligations, always listening and promptly resolving difficulties and problems of businesses, taking taxpayer satisfaction as a measure of the quality and effectiveness of tax management," Mr. Dung emphasized.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/thao-cam-vien-sai-gon-duoc-tuyen-duong-nop-thue-tot-20241220171947974.htm