Tuesday, September 02, 2008 Quarry collections continue to plunge
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The daily collection of sand and gravel fees from quarry sites continued plunging below expected 2007 benchmarks.
Documents obtained from the Provincial Treasurer's Office showed that last month's total collection was P8.2-million short compared to the same period last year.
In the period ending August 31, 2007, bottom-lines reflected a total monthly collection of P20,910,000 that helped push overall collections to P45.3 million. Last month however, the total monthly collection dropped to P12,675,000 or 40 percent less the total monthly fees collected during August 2007.
Last July's collections showed the same down-curve, as collections dipped by as much as 35 percent.
The quarry collections became one the current administration's flagship programs -- created as Biyaya A Luluguran at Sisikapan or Balas -- where at one time collections soared to as much as P27 million per month after Governor Eddie Panlilio took over the helm of the Provincial Capitol.
Sources at the Provincial Treasurer's Office could not readily determine the drop in collections even as some insiders hinted it has something to do with the ongoing standoff between Capitol executives and dismissed quarry personnel who are questioning their demotion and termination from the Balas task force. (JTD)
