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Sunday, December 16, 2007
Mayor questions ‘discrepancy’ in quarry tax shares
By Marna H. Dagumboy
FLORIDABLANCA -- Mayor Eduardo Guerrero has questioned the alleged discrepancy in the distribution of quarry proceeds to municipalities, saying his locality should have received a one-month share of more than P1 million.
In a letter Guerrero earlier sent to Governor Eddie Panlilio, the mayor questioned the amount distributed by the Provincial Government, which according to him, should be twice the P558,000 his town received for the October 16 to November 15 period. He said the computation was based on the number of trucks that had hauled sand from Floridablanca.
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Guerrero cited municipal records showing there were more than 12,000 trucks that hauled sand in his town from October 16 to November 15 this year that should have paid the correct quarry fees pursuant to Ordinance no. 176.
The mayor attributed the alleged discrepancy to two probable reasons: First, Ordinance no. 176 has not been implemented and that this town's share was computed at only P45 per truckload of sand; and second, there could have been some "irregularities" in the issuance of receipts.
Ordinance No. 176 abolished the administrative fee and provides for a new sharing scheme of the quarry tax collections among the Provincial Government, the municipal governments, and the barangays.
"We are still optimistic that the discrepancy will be rectified. Otherwise, we are expressing our seriousness in pursuing this issue for we believe that we are on the right direction and this is for the welfare and benefit of our constituents," Guerrero stated in his letter.
For his part, Panlilio said over a phone interview that he has yet to receive Guerrero's letter.
He also said that Ordinance no. 176 is not yet being strictly enforced, as its implementing rules and guidelines are still being finalized by the committee composed of the provincial treasurer, provincial accountant, provincial legal officer, and the provincial environment and natural resources officer.
Panlilio said the committee's deadline for the finalization of the ordinance's implementing rules and guidelines is on December 20.
He added that as soon as the committee finishes the guidelines, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Finance (DOF) will then review and evaluate the guidelines before their implementation.
Recently, the Provincial Government distributed the P6 million tax shares of the three towns and 11 barangays from the quarry industry.
The distributed shares were the sixth tranche of the municipalities and barangays' shares on quarry fees.
Porac town has received P2,130,750, the biggest share among the three towns. Barangay Manibaug-Pasig of the said town, on the other hand received P1,515,000.
Records showed that the Provincial Government has distributed P32,536,500 to the seven towns and 30 barangays with quarry resources since July 2007.
However, other barangays from Floridablanca, Mabalacat and Porac, Bacolor, Lubao, Mexico, and Sta. Rita did not receive their quarry shares due to suspension of the quarry operations in the areas.
Accordingly, the applications of the quarry operators are on hold by the Provincial Mining Regulatory Board, pending the completion of the necessary documents. (Sun.Star Pampanga/Sunnex)
(December 16, 2007 issue)
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