MORE NEWS, IFUGAO

Court orders release of Magat real property tax
By Robie Halip

LAGAWE, Ifugao – Regional Trial Court Judge Anastacio Anghad of Isabela ordered the release of the real property tax in connection with the Magat Power Plant property covering the first quarter of year (January to March 2008) due to Isabela and Ifugao.

Anghad, in an order June 25, said the tax will be released to the municipalities of Alfonso Lista, Ifugao and Ramon, Isabela but they, in turn, will remit the share of the said provinces pursuant to the Local Government Code and other tax laws.

The decision of the court was due to consideration that further delay of the release of the tax would cause hamper public service developmental projects. The judge cited in his decision that taxes are the lifeblood of the nation to finance needs of citizens.

Gov. Teodoro Baguilat said the share from the tax will used to fund needs of the education sector particularly for additional teachers and developmental projects.
The sharing on the real property tax between Ifugao and Isabela was based on the relocation survey and inventory of properties supervised by BLGF pending the settlement of boundary dispute between the said provinces.

Baguilat said collectible taxes from the operation of the Magat Dam requires the cooperation of concerned LGUs, thus, a united political leadership is important in decision making.

“The next step,” he said, “is to ask SNAP Aboitiz to pay what is fair and just to the Ifugao people as it is our watersheds that supply the needed water for the dam to operate and our land where it is located.”

Land titles given to Ifugao town folks
By Jun Kindipan Dumar

AGUINALDO, Ifugao – A total of 94 land titles were distributed to land owners here July 4 by Gov. Teodoro Baguilat Jr. assisted by officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Registry of Deeds in this province.
“We are fortunate in this province that we have lands to occupy,” said Baguilat Jr.

“While they have squatters in other provinces or cities like Manila, we have vacant lots in Ifugao, and that’s a big difference. Most if not all of the lands that were granted titles are for agricultural purposes, and suitable for planting corn. Aguinaldo is one of the top producers of corn in the country according to Baguilat.

With a payment of P72 for the survey conducted by DENR, each of the title owners claimed their land’s legal documents, but are prohibited by the ROD to sell, mortgage, or transfer to anybody the title for five years. The prohibition was written on the legal land title.

All titled lands are located at disputed Dolowog, a barangay being claimed by the municipalities of Alfonso-Lista and Aguinaldo. On the issue of the land dispute of Dolowog between Aguinaldo and Alfonso-Lista, Baguilat urged land owners to let sanguniang panlalawigan settle it.

Local officials of the two towns who were present during the land distribution said they will try to settle the dispute so it would not become a big problem. Payment for real property taxes shall reportedly be paid in a trust fund account wherein the municipality which would have jurisdiction over the area could claim the taxes.