BY DEXTER A SE
At least 65 percent of Cordillerans are still undecided on the autonomy issue.
This was the initial results of a survey conducted by the Regional Development Council as part of its advocacy for a renewed campaign for autonomy in Baguio City, Benguet, Mountain Province and Ifugao.
Juan Ngalob, regional director of the National Economic Development Authority in the Cordillera and interim chairman of RDC, said the survey tool used was an interview guide with 25 questions.
He said each of the surveyed local government units had 400 samples each.
Asked if there should be another plebiscite to ratify a new organic Act, 20.74 percent of the respondents in the four areas said they would vote "yes," while 17.42 percent would vote "no."
At the same time, 47.45 percent of the surveyed individuals answered that it would depend on certain factors, while 14.4 percent responded that they do not know or they had no answer.
When asked if they think that the Cordillera is now ready to assume responsibilities of an autonomous region, 27.96 percent of the respondents voted "yes," while 34.64 percent voted "no." Another 34.09 percent of the respondents said that they do not know, while 3.31 percent had no answer.
Ngalob said the survey indicates that there is still a very long way for the region to take before the passage of a third organic act by Congress, but the RDC would formulate the strategies after all the results of the survey in the other provinces are submitted.
Earlier, the RDC revived the renewed pursuit for self-governance in the Cordillera pursuant to the constitutional mandate for the establishment of an autonomous region.
Malacañang earlier released P15 million through the RDC to jumpstart the renewed pursuit for Cordillera autonomy through the crafting of appropriate strategies that would make the people vote
in favor of autonomy in the future.
However, Ngalob said that the RDC is not rushing the resolution of the issue over autonomy, but added it would undertake a series of activities to inform the people purpose of having autonomous governance.
Among the work programs of the RDC are the conduct of pulse surveys that will be followed by several tracking surveys as well as come out with appropriate and significant research agenda on how to capacitate local government units to be fiscally independent.
Ngalob said there was need to enhance regional and local capacities towards self-sufficiency and financial autonomy.
The RDC earlier created a special committee tasked to conduct the autonomy drive. The committee is headed by Presidential Assistant for Cordillera Affairs Tomas Killip and Ngalob.
House committee okays bill on direct remittance of nat’l taxes to LGUs
BY DEXTER A SEE
The house committee on local government recently approved a proposed bill requiring companies utilizing the natural resources of a certain Local Government Unit (LGU) to directly remit to the concerned LGU its corresponding share from the national wealth taxes it is supposed to pay.
House Bill (HB) 1929 authored by Baguio City Rep. Mauricio G. Domogan seeks to introduce amendments to Sections 290 and 293 of the Local Government code of the Philippines so that companies exploiting the natural resources of the country will directly remit to the LGU the 40 percent share of the political subdivision.
Under the present set up, companies developing the natural resources of the country remit to the national government all the national wealth taxes they are supposed to pay and it is up to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to remit to the concerned LGUs their corresponding 40 percent share.
However, Domogan pointed out that LGUs are often at a loss in such case since the release of their 40 percent share of the national wealth taxes from companies in their respective areas of jurisdiction take a long time thereby depriving them the chance to use the funds to develop their own communities.
The Baguio lawmaker disclosed that the approved bill will be subjected to plenary debates and he hopes that it could hurdle the House of Representatives early next year so that the Senate could come out with its counterpart measure.
Out of the 40 percent share of LGUs from the national wealth tax, 45 percent goes to the municipal government, 35 percent will be given to the barangay and 20 percent will be allotted for the province.
Numerous municipalities and provinces in the different parts of the country have passed separate resolutions supporting the immediate passage of Domogan’s bill so that they would be given the opportunity to utilize funds for their own priority projects without passing through the national government.
In her State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July 23, 2007, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo rallied Congress to pass a law allowing the direct remittance of the share of LGUs from the national wealth tax so that they will have sufficient funds to build roads among others which would eventually benefit the people in the countryside.
Domogan cited that he will personally seek the help of the President for the immediate passage of the said law by certifying that it is an urgent administration measure to avoid the delaying tactics to be employed by some sectors.
He asserted that LGUs must be given the autonomy to decide where to use their shares from the national wealth tax and that the national government should not deprive them the chance to immediately receive their share and not subject them to the bureaucratic red tape.
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