MANILA, Philippines – For the third year in a row, the city government of Manila conferred an award on The Philippine STAR for being one of the city’s top 10 corporate taxpayers for 2015 – a reflection of the paper’s sustained profitability and stability over the years.
 
PhilStar Daily Inc. president and chief executive officer Miguel Belmonte received the recognition during a ceremony in celebration of Manila’s 445th anniversary Thursday night.
 
“This award is very prestigious. I don’t think there’s ever been another print media company that won this award in any city, not just in Manila,” Belmonte said.
 
“Everybody’s claiming to be number one. This award is based on what you paid in taxes, which in turn are based on your earnings and revenues so we don’t even have to make claims anymore,” he added.
 
Belmonte noted that the award shows the company’s thrust in doing its share to pay correct taxes which are being used for the improvement of the city.
 
“The STAR has won many journalism awards but it’s not easy to win this top taxpayer award. No other newspaper company can make that claim except us and it’s our third straight year,” he said.
  
Other top business taxpayers awarded by the Manila city government were the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI), SM Prime Holdings Inc., Unilever Philippines Inc., Mercury Drug Corp., Asian Terminals Inc., Maynilad Water Services Inc., Puregold Price Club Inc. and National Book Store.
 
Meanwhile, Asian Terminals Inc., Unilever Philippines Inc., SM Prime Holdings Inc., Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Home Guaranty Corp., Meralco, ICTSI, Land Bank of the Philippines, Megaworld Corp. and Manila North Harbour Port Inc. were recognized as top real property taxpayers for 2015.