Thursday, November 01, 2007 CH puts up checkpoints to collect fees
THE Cebu City Trea-surer’s Office is checking vehicles carrying flowers to collect permit and entrance fees from vendors.
City Market Authority personnel guarded the road from the mountain barangays to the city in Barangay Busay round the clock starting Sunday last week to ensure payment.
The checkpoint will last until tomorrow.
Market administrator Raquel Arce said they are doing this to avoid confusion at the Carbon public market, and to make those who sell flowers outside Cebu pay the required fees.
The treasurer’s office assigned the Market Authority’s economic enterprise revenue collection division the task.
Arce said vendor groups and the barangays also collect from the vendors.
A permit fee of P200 was demanded per vehicle bringing flowers to the market. In exchange, each was issued with a sticker as proof that they have already paid. A sticker is good for a day.
The entrance fee is determined on a per commodity basis of P10 to P20 per basket depending on the bundle.
Arce said the checkpoint was implemented 24 hours a day that personnel guarding it worked in three shifts.
“This was done for an increased revenue collection of the City Treasurer’s Office,” she said, adding that the collected fees will be deposited under the Market Authority’s account.
She said that out-of-town dealers who purchase flowers here were imposed slightly higher fees.
Be suspicious
At City Hall, Mayor Tomas Osmeńa reminded the public to be always suspicious of packages, persons, and any unusual activities as the faithful observe All Saints’ Day today and All Souls’ Day tomorrow.
“We have to be reminded that we can have a bombing anytime. So we ask the public not to take things for granted,” he said.
“Without the support of the people, we cannot deter these things,” he added.
The City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) will impose rerouting schemes today and tomorrow.
The City also allocated P200,000 for the food of Cebu City policemen, soldiers, and barangay tanods who will help secure churches and cemeteries. (RHM)
