Risaralda approves tax exemptions for earthquake recovery

The Risaralda Departmental Assembly has approved Ordinance 022, which establishes a temporary and exceptional exemption from five departmental stamps for contracts and legal instruments directly related to the recovery from the earthquake that occurred on August 10, 2026.

The exemption applies to five specific stamps: Tasa Pro Deporte y Recreación, Estampilla Pro Desarrollo, Estampilla Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira hacia el III Milenio, Estampilla para el Bienestar del Adulto Mayor, and Estampilla Pro Hospitales Universitarios. This measure is designed to ensure that extraordinary resources—such as those from the national government, donations, insurance, and international cooperation—are used more efficiently for humanitarian, social, and reconstruction efforts without being diminished by local tax burdens.

Dora Patricia Ospina Parra, the Secretary of Finance for Risaralda, clarified that this exemption only applies to contracts financed with external resources and does not affect the department's ordinary budget or existing tax regimes for internal funds. Luz Andrea Henao Torres, Director of Fiscalization, noted that the move is intended to incentivize donations and ensure maximum impact for the affected municipalities.