Aboitiz pays P83.56M taxes: Dev’t for villages near Benguet dams hastened

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet - Development in villages hosting the 105-megawatt Ambuclao dam in Bokod and the 125-megawatt Binga dam in Itogon will be hastened following the advance payment of at least P83.56 million real property taxes to the municipalities and barangays hosting the two power plants.

 Emmanuel Rubio, president and chief executive officer of SN Aboitiz Power Benguet, turned over to Bokod Mayor Mauricio Macai a check worth P61.35 million representing the company’s advance payment for realty property taxes to the municipal government for the facilities of the Ambuclao dam.

He also turned over to ItogonVice Mayor Noel Ngolob and Councilor Norberto Pacio a check worth P22.21 million also as advance payment of the company’s real property taxes next year for the facilities of the Binga dam, which is currently undergoing rehabilitation and operating at around 62.5 megawatts.

 “50 percent of the two payments which is equivalent to P30.675 million and 11.105 million, respectively, will be equally divided by the provincial school board and the concerned municipal school board purposely to build more school buildings and sports facilities as well as hire additional teachers,” Gov. Nestor B. Fongwan, who witnessed the turnover ceremonies Thursday at the Ben Palispis hall of the Benguet Capitol, said.

He added the remaining 50 percent of the payment will be divided pursuant to the provisions of the Local Government Code of the Philippines.

  

Under Republic Act (RA) 7160, the prescribed sharing of real property taxes shall be 45 percent for the municipal government, 35 percent for the barangay concerned and 20 percent will accrue to the coffers of the provincial government. Barangay Ambuclao in Bokod town hosts the Ambuclao dam while barangay Tinongdan in Itogon hosts the Binga hydroelectric power plant.

Last year, SNAP also paid its real property taxes amounting to around P61.3 million in advance to the Bokod municipal government in order to provide concerned local governments with added income that could be used to bankroll the implementation of more development projects and improve the delivery of basic services to the people.

 “SNAP Benguet wants to witness the growth of its host communities simultaneous with its existence in the areas where our power facilities are situated and leave a worthy legacy for other businesses to emulate,” Rubio stressed, adding that the company is inclined to maximize the utilization of the province’s rich water resources and simultaneously guarantee economic growth and provide more employment and livelihood opportunities for the people.

         

According to Fongwan, the province’s share from the 50 percent advance payment of real property taxes were used to sustain the hiring of 100 teachers paid by the provincial school board and the building of more than 10 school buildings in the different towns and the construction of a P5 million gymnasium in Kabayan town.

He added that this year’s share from the advance real property tax payment will be used to construct more school buildings in other municipalities that need added classrooms and the hiring of more teachers who will be asked to teach in far flung communities and bring education closer to the people.