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Itogon gets P43.8-M dam tax

ITOGON, Benguet – The long-time struggle of this mineral-rich town to get its share from operations of the San Roque Multi-purpose dam is finally over. The municipal government received recently three checks, all amounting to P43.8 million, from the National Power Corp.

The amount represented the share of the town from the operations of the biggest dam in Asia over the past four years.

The town’s share, which is four times higher than the share of the provincial government, will be used to fund development programs, one of which is the supply of solar-power energy in the remote village of Domolpos, Barangay Ampucao, this town.

Napocor executives said the release of the town’s share was made possible through a memorandum of agreement signed between Benguet officials and their counterparts in Pangasinan. The agreement calls for the two provinces to receive an equal share in the national-wealth tax levied on the dam operations.

Of the P43.8-million share, the municipal government will get P22.95 million, while Barangays Ampucao and Dalupirip will receive P12.8 million and P7.68 million, respectively.

Barangay officials of Ampucao and Dalupirip said their shares in the national-wealth tax will be used to fund livelihood and community development projects that will benefit their constituents, particularly those who were displaced by the construction of the 345-megawatt power plant.

Provincial and municipal officials said the payment of their shares is a big help for communities which have meager incomes.

Last month, Napocor executives handed over to the provincial government a check for at least P12 million, which is Benguet’s share in the tax on the operation of the dam.

Earlier, Benguet officials insisted that the province should have a substantial share in the national wealth tax on the San Roque dam operation because the water that runs the turbines of the power plant originates from the Cordillera mountain ranges.

Pangasinan had interposed no opposition to the demand of Benguet for an equal sharing of the national-wealth tax as it recognizes the fact that water that runs the power plant comes from the Cordillera. – Dexter A See