AS AN additional revenue stream, Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia asked the mayors of the towns and cities under the Provincial Government to strictly monitor and apprehend illegal quarry operations and delivery trucks or vans of various goods entering and exiting the province without the necessary permit.
In a meeting with local chief executives on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023, Garcia sought every local government unit’s (LGU) participation against illegal quarrying.
She said that despite the establishment of a task force, the Province still faces challenges due to shortage of personnel to monitor all entry and exit points.
Therefore, the LGUs’ help and participation are needed.
Revenue sharing
To encourage mayors’ involvement in apprehending small- and large-scale operators of illegal quarrying sites and the trucks transporting materials out of the province, Garcia proposed a revenue-sharing system from the penalties imposed.
Donato Villa, the provincial legal officer, said that penalties and fines for these operators can reach a minimum of P50,000, resulting from the accumulation of five different violations, each incurring a P10,000 penalty.
But this could increase to P60,000 if these illegal operators dredged the soils and minerals from riverbeds.
“Patabang mi ninyo, you can put up your own checkpoints and by so doing naa mo’y share. Nagtan-aw mi nga mo-increase gyud ning dakup kung kada LGU kay mo-monitor na, so mo-increase ang revenue,” Garcia said.
(I am asking for your help; you can put up your own checkpoints and by doing so you can have a share (of revenue). We are expecting this will lead to an increase in apprehension only if each LGU will monitor, so this increases your revenue also.)
Delivery vehicles
Aside from illegal quarrying, the governor also asked the mayors to look out for delivery trucks, vans, or any vehicles without the governor’s accreditation and other permits, entering and exiting the province.
She said the LGUs through their municipal treasurer or deputy have the authority to inspect, seize, and impound such vehicles if believed to have violated such provision, based on the Revenue Code of the Province in 2008.
Garcia said the code does not contradict President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Executive Order 41, ordering all LGUs to suspend the collection of “pass-through fees” ensuring the efficient movement of goods across regions that will revitalize local industries.
Villa said that “Article H” of the Revenue Code stated that the province is entitled to an annual fixed tax for every delivery and hauling truck or van of manufacturers or producers, wholesalers, dealers, or retailers.
Sections 149 and 150, or “Imposition of Tax” states that there must be an annual fixed tax of P550 on delivery trucks or vans entering Cebu with goods such as distilled spirits, fermented liquors, soft drinks, cigars, and cigarettes, and all other products for sale to retail outlets or consumers. It shall be paid to the treasurer office on the first 20 days of January or those having delivery for the first time in the province at any time.
Penalty
Failure to pay shall constitute a 25 percent surcharge of the original amount tax due and in addition to the late payment, there will be two percent fines per month from the due date until the tax is fully paid, not exceeding 36 months, the law further states.
Other penalties and fines include the storage fee of P50 per day on impounded vehicles.
Section 155 also states a fine of P1,000 to P5,000 or imprisonment of not less than one month and not more than six months upon the discretion of the court, while Section 156 states that violators will be fined P10,000. And if an LGU is the apprehending officer, it can have a 25 percent share of the fines, while 75 percent goes to the provincial government.