MORE NEWS, BAGUIO CITY

House okays direct remittance of taxes to LGUs on 3rd reading
By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY – The House of Representatives approved on third and final reading a proposed bill requiring all companies exploiting the country’s natural resources to directly remit to the host communities their 40 percent share from the national wealth tax they are supposed to pay to the national government.

House Bill 1020 authored by Baguio City Rep. Mauricio G. Domogan would now be transmitted to the Senate where Sen. Juan Miguel Zubirri would be filing a counterpart measure to ensure immediate implementation of the law.

Domogan said hat there was a big chance the pro-local government measure would hurdle the two chambers of congress this time due to the overwhelming support shown by almost all the municipalities, cities and provinces nationwide for the immediate passage of the bill.

Once the bill is enacted into law, local government units hosting huge development projects being undertaken by government-owned and controlled corporation and multi-national investors would greatly benefit from it since they will immediately get their 40 percent share from the national wealth taxes paid by the developers.

Section 290 of the Local Government Code mandates companies utilizing the natural resources of a certain areas to remit all the national wealth tax to the Bureau of Internal Revenue which them remits the same to the national treasury.

In turn, the Department of Budget and Management apportions the 40 percent share of the host communities upon their request with the list of projects where the funds will be utilized.

However, Domogan said the release of funds from the DBM takes a long time which deprives the host communities the chance to implement their own development projects that would help uplift economic activities in their own communities.

Out of the share of the host communities, 45 percent will be retained by the municipal government, 25 percent for the province and 30 percent for the barangay concerned.

In her State of the Nation Address last July 23, 2007, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo urged both chambers of Congress to pass a bill mandating the direct remittance of the share of local government units from the national wealth tax so that they would capacitate themselves in strengthening the delivery of basic services to the people as well as will have enough funds to implement vital infrastructure projects without waiting for the national government to do so.

Domogan said the support displayed by the local government units in the country for the immediate passage of the measure would be a plus factor in convincing the opposition-dominated Senate to pass their own counterpart bill at the soonest possible time so that host communities will enjoy the fruits of development in their own area of jurisdiction.


14 Cordillera institutions in dire need of poverty alleviation funds
BAGUIO CITY– Fourteen institutions, mostly local government units in the Cordillera, are expected to boost the implementation of small poverty alleviation projects once they will be granted funding from foreign embassies and selected non-government organizations through a donors forum in Metro Manila next month.

The first-ever donors forum is a brainchild of the Regional Development Council in the cordillera in partnership with the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Cordillera affairs and the Office of the Presidential Assistant on the Peace Process and is aimed at opening up relationships with donor agencies for accessing bigger funds for the region’s various projects designed to uplift the people from poverty.

The expected beneficiaries of the forthcoming donors forum include San Quintin and Tubo, Abra; Pudtol, Apayao; Kibungan, Benguet; Alfonso Lista, Banaue, Hingyon and Tinoc, Ifugao; Tanudan, Kalinga; Bontoc, Sadanga, Sagada and Tadian in Mountain province and the Ifugao State College of Agriculture and Forestry.

Florida Faculo, chief economic development specialist of the national Economic Development Authority in the Cordillera, said that there were supposed to be 21 institutions who will avail of the donors forum but only 14 were able to comply with the deadline for the submission of project proposals and other requirements, thus, the others will avail of the donors forum in some other time.

She said the activity would initially target small funding from the donor agencies for the implementation of realistic and attainable poverty alleviation projects of the beneficiaries.

Aside from accessing small funding from the embassies, the Overseas Development Assistance community and selected NGOs, the activity aims to get firm commitments from donors to fund presented poverty alleviation project proposals and to forge linkages with the concerned donor agencies.

Most project proposals of the institutions are geared towards uplifting the local agriculture industry through the provision of adequate farming equipment and techniques as well as protecting the environment through agro-forestry and construction of vital farm to market roads.

Poverty alleviation has been constantly been pursued in the cordillera even after 1998 when all 6 provinces were declared graduated from the Club 20 poorest provinces in the country.

In the latest 2003 identification of top 44 poor provinces, Ifugao, Mountain, Abra and Kalinga still belong to the top 44 poor provinces in the country.

NEDA studies show that there was a slight improvement in the poverty situation in the region in 2003 by 5.9 percent exceeding the target for the year by 13.4 percent but the pro-poor programs implemented are limited in coverage and in the type of basic needs delivered.

Despite the efforts of line agencies and local government units, poverty still remains a priority concern that needs to be substantially addressed in the rural areas. -- Dexter A. See


Baguio Panagbenga activities, sked bared
BAGUIO CITY- Foreign sister cities, neighboring provinces, and other local government offices have signified their willingness to join Panagbenga 2008 festivities which opens Feb. 1.

Mayor Reinaldo Bautista, Jr., bared this last week saying Taebaek, Baguio’s sister city in Korea will have a 60-man dance troupe to regale the crowd with cultural dances, along with local groups.

Another sister city, Hanyu, Japan will send their own cultural group to participate in the activities.
The Department of Education in celebration of February as national cultural month, shall do so, in the city, with their representatives to the flower-themed festivities, the mayor also mentioned.

The Panagbenga secretariat announced a tentative schedule for activities: Feb. 1, grand opening with the drum and lyre and street dancing along Session Road and Market Encounter; Feb. 22-24, Abanao nights; Feb. 23, grand opening parade; Feb. 24, parade of floats and bands; Feb. 25 to March 2, Session Road in Bloom; March 2, closing ceremonies with playground demonstrations and exhibitions.

Other tentatively scheduled activities include Pony Boys’ Day, Feb. 11-17; 2nd Cheer Dance Festival, Feb. 17; Taebaek Choir, Feb. 22; Mr. and Mrs. Fashionista, Feb. 23.
Other activities are: Let a Thousand Flowers Bloom, SM Flower Festival Related Activities, PMA Flower Festival Related Activities, Fireworks Display, Barangay Beautification Contest and School-based relate


Baguio to get P124 M tax from economic zone
BAGUIO CITY – The city government stands to receive P124 million from its tax share from operations of the Philippine Economic Zone firms.

Mayor Reinaldo Bautista bared this saying the amount would fund construction of a commercial establishment at Mines View to solve the vending problems at the Mines View Park among other projects.

The mayor said among other programs, he would prioritize implementation of impact projects as his administration’s thrust this year.

Citing good economic gains last year, the mayor said the city could now develop the city’s leading parks including Burnham Park, the Botanical Garden and the City Hall park along with other infrastructure projects.

The mayor said the city had an income of P830 million last year, adding, he hoped to surpass its target income this year with increased revenue collection.

He said the executive department has increased the proposed budget to P900 million to accommodate all the needed programs for this year.

“I believe that the proposed budget is aggressive enough to implement all our desired projects,” he said.

The planned works for Burnham Park aim to improve park amenities while the program of work for Botanical Garden envisions its transformation into an international park.

The mayor, however, admitted that the city has to double its effort in raising the needed funds as many projects remained unimplemented dating back to 2004

The mayor said he had reconvened the City Development Council which reviewed and screened the previous unimplemented projects and to assess the projects to be submitted by the barangays for inclusion in this year’s budget.

He also called on barangay officials to come up with projects that are worthwhile and would benefit majority of their constituents.

The mayor also asked the city council to consider the proposed budget in the budget deliberations as soon as possible.

The mayor also bared other development projects being considered for implementation in the city this year using other sources of funds.

The mayor said studies are now being done to determine the feasibility of building an underpass or an overpass along Bokawkan Road to ease up the traffic flow in the area.

The mayor also said that the city plans to implement the market development plan.

Another plan is to impose a circumferential traffic route around city hall and improve the City Hall park.

As to policy directions, the mayor expressed hope that he would get the city council’s cooperation in the passage of laws on smoke belching, investment and incentives code, traffic authority, anti-smoking and the total ban on the sale of firecrackers. -- Aileen P. Refuerzo


New Baguio ABC prexy urges teamwork with city government
By Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – Newly elected Association of Barangay Councils president Joel Alangsab Monday appealed to all punong barangays here for cooperation in programs to achieve ABC goals.

“Winning the election is not the end, it is just the start of fulfilling our oath of office where we signified our commitment as public servants,” Alangsab said in a speech during the flag-raising ceremonies where he along with co-officials were presented and welcomed by city officials and employees.

“We should always remember that our duty is to advance the cause of the barangays and not our personal intentions. We should always be worthy of the tasks placed on us,” he said.

Alangsab also called on his co-candidates to set aside politics and instead cooperate with the new leadership by sharing their platforms. “After all, these platforms were intended for the betterment of the barangays and not just for winning,” he said.

In his speech, Alangsab vowed to improve the working relationship between the ABC and the city government and other government departments.

“We recognize the need for a co-existence with the different departments of the city government like the barangay affairs and other executive divisions and departments and also with the Dept. of Interior and Local Government and other local and national line agencies,” he said.

“We appeal to all of you for support and cooperation to advance the advocacies of our barangays,” he said.

Alangsab later joined the city council for his first regular session that afternoon as an ex-officio member.

The body passed a resolution accepting him as an ex-officio member and passing onto him the responsibilities left by predecessor Rufino Panagan including committee chairmanship and membership.

Alangsab won the ABC elections held last Dec. 29 over Panagan of barangay South Sanitary Camp, former councilor Faustino Olowan of Lucnab and Rodolfo Ocon of Camp Allen.

The other ABC officers are punong barangays Eva Marie Fianza of Happy Homes-Old Lucban, vice president; Carlos Asiatico of Lopez Jaena, auditor; with punong barangays Virgilio Orca of North Sanitary Camp, Rocky Aliping of Lower Q.M., William Domogan of Malcolm Square,
Benjamin Macadangdang of Lourdes Subd. Ext., Michael Perez of South Central Aurora Hill, Romulado Ulatan Sr. of A. Tabora, Peter Busaing of West Quirino Hill and Marvin Binay-an of Camp as members of the board of directors.