The Baan Story

LETTERS FROM THE AGNO

March Fianza

Some 65 years ago today, two Nueva Vizcaya towns are still stuck in a boundary row as residents of one barangay called Baan are puzzled as to which town do they “belong” to. Why such case is up and unresolved is a question that crops up everytime real property owners go to pay their taxes.

On November 11, 1950, then President Elpidio R. Quirino signed Executive Order 368 that reorganized the municipalities of the Province of Nueva Vizcaya by defining their respective technical boundaries, and abolishing the municipal districts in the process.

Under EO 368, the juridical boundaries and common boundaries straddled by two neighboring municipalities were identified. For example, in the case of Kayapa and Aritao, their common boundaries are the Imugan and Sta. Cruz Rivers. That fact is confirmed in the website of the Province of Nueva Vizcaya and the Municipality of Kayapa.

For Barangay Baan residents who are not aware of EO 368, the answer to how the confusion arose is a wild guess. Some say they belong to Baan under this town because that is where they pay their taxes and the town’s market is where they go to buy goodies.

On the other hand, other residents say they pay their taxes in that town because that is where they were told to apply for tax declarations over the lands that they occupied.

According to information divulged by those in the know, taxpayers were, in the first place, misled into obeying the instruction of “wise and knowledgeable” politicians, property assessors and government employees. 

At least, this confusion tells us two things: that one of these towns is collecting taxes way up and above what it should be collecting. It is good if the taxes collected go to the coffers of the town, and not to the pockets of those who run the town. The other thing that the confusion tells us is that one of these towns is being cheated in terms of tax collections that it is not getting.

On either case, it runs counter to EO 368 that has defined 65 years ago the boundaries of all towns in Nueva Vizcaya. It also cheats people of their taxes in connection with the internal revenue allotment or IRA that the towns and barangays receive.

In addition, there is need to inquire if Barangay Baan receives its correct share of financial support from the upper LGUs, or if its share is doubled since it “exists” either under Kayapa or Aritao.  

During a medical mission to Sitio Domolpos, Barangay Tinongdan, Itogon, Benguet in 2002, I was told that another sitio called Ansipsip is a barangay listed under Kayapa in Nueva Vizcaya. Then another story I heard was that Lawigen which is a sitio under Barangay Dalupirip, Itogon, Benguet is a barangay unit of Kayapa, Nueva Vizcaya.

The reason behind all of these is dishonesty and money. LGUs expand their areas and declare wrong population figures, as these are the basis for the IRA share from the national government. Government officials cannot be blamed for this. And it is widely the case in many other places in the country.