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Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Business holiday paralyzes Cagayan de Oro
By Cong B. Corrales
CAGAYAN DE ORO -- Osmeña Street, the hardware and automotive hub of Cagayan de Oro, was dead silent Tuesday. Even computer service shops, appliance stores, and educational supply stores in Divisoria were closed.
Shops and gasoline stations that didn't join prominently displayed yellow streamers that read "No to BIR Harassment."
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Ninety eight percent of the establisments in Cagayan de Oro joined the "sara protesta", which was spearheaded by the Coalition of Chamber and Commerce and Industries (CCCI).
Rudolfo Menes, president of the Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation (Orochamber), said the one-day business stoppage sent a strong message to Malacañang that local traders are already fed up with Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Regional Director Mustapha Gandarosa and that he has to go.
"The local traders have expressed sentiments in the strongest terms and 98 percent of the local business community has expressed their support," Menes said.
The Coalition of nine local business chambers went on with the strike after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo failed to act on their demand to replace Gandarosa despite lobbying efforts made by Mayor Constantino Jaraula last week.
Gandarosa told Bombo Radyo that he welcomed the protests and Finance Secretary Margarito Teves did not replace him as regional director of the BIR Office in Northern Mindanao.
Sentiments
Only stores whose franchises are based in Manila were open on Tuesday while stores along J.R. Borja Street were closed. In Barangay Carmen, however, 50 percent of the establishments were business as usual.
But consumers, who were fully aware of the strike, did not experience inconvenience. Many were seen buying their goods in Cogon where 30 percent of small grocery stores remained open.
"The reason that a good percentage in DV Soria offices is open is because these are banks and offices that are Manila-based. If you want to gauge the sympathy of pure Kagay-anon businessmen, Osmeña street is the only accurate barometer," Lawyer Oscar Musni, CCCI legal counsel told Sun.Star in a text message.
Jaraula made good of his promise to the traders and ordered half of the City Hall's 3,000 employees to go home.
Even non-members of CCCI supported the strike because they said they too were victims of "BIR harassments."
Antonio B. Harwart, proprietor of Gold Mega Trust in DV Soria, said he closed his shop to show his sympathy to his fellow traders.
"Last year kadto nahitabo nga gipangayoan ko og dako kaayo nga tax pero pagbayad nako, katunga ra sa amount ang geresibo-an (it happened last year when I was asked to pay a very big amount for my tax but only half of the amount was issued a receipt)," Harwart said.
"Adtong una under the table ra man to, karon kay apil na man ang table dal-on nila (Before it was only under the table, now they want to take the table as well)," he added.
Another non-CCCI member, Gerry Basallo, owner of Basallo Watch Repair Shop in DV Soria said one does not even need to be a 'victim' of BIR to support a "just "cause.
Support
The strike received a big boost after major religious groups in Cagayan de Oro expressed support.
Bishop Felixberto Calang of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) said the protest made by the local traders has his support.
Fr. Antonio Ablon of IFI said the strike is an indication that corruption in the government has reached levels of impunity.
Monsignor Rey Monsanto, Cagayan de Oro Archdiocese spokesman, said the archdiocese "sympathizes with those who are victims of injustice and harassment."
"If they (local businessmen) are the victims in this issue, and that's the best way of bringing forward their cause, then we sympathize with them," Monsanto said.
Even the militant Kilusang Mayo Uno-Northern Mindanao Region (KMU-NMR) became an unlikely ally of the traders. (Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Pangasinan. (October 22, 2008 issue)
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