TACLOBAN CITY- A backpack bag issued by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Eastern Visayas among its employees has become an issue among netizens.
The backpack or haversack is being described as a ‘go bag’ which, apparently, did not sit well to some netizens who claimed that labeling it as such is a subtle way of promoting the senatorial bid of former presidential assistant Christopher ‘Bong’ Go.
“GO Bag is, obviously, another epaltactic,” one netizen said, reacting to the bag distribution made by the DILG, which started on Monday (Jan.14), for its 390 employees.
Go is running for senator in this year’s election under the administration party PDP-Laban.
Recent surveys indicated that despite the endorsement of his former boss, he remain to be outside probable winners.
“A go bag has been called as a go bag way before anybody know of Bong Go. If there is a candidate named as Go, it’s not our fault. It’s called a go bag because it’s something ready-to-go at a moment’s notice,” Ian Colasito, DILG-8 assistant chief for local government monitoring and evaluation division.
“We at DILG, we don’t involve in politics. Ours is to implement programs (which include disaster preparedness),” he added.
The go bag distributed to the DILG employees consist of bandages, plastic bottle and envelope, whistle, safety pins, scissors, aqua tablets, blanket, AM/FM radio, flashlight, and a Swiss knife, among others.
Colasito said that the distribution of the go bag is their own initiative considering that Eastern Visayas is prone to disaster like typhoon.
Months ahead of the May 13,2019 elections, posters and tarpaulins bearing the name and face of the senatorial aspirant could be seen practically anywhere.
Detained Senator Laila de Lima has earlier raised a question as to where Go sources his campaign fund as he aim for a Senate seat in this year’s midterm elections.
Go, however, said that his well-meaning friends and supporters are helping him finance his senatorial bid.
Colasito said that they feels bad that their go bag distribution, is being linked to a particular senatorial candidate.
He added that the procurement of these bags was sourced from the funds of their conditional matching grant program.
He, however, could not recall the amount used for the procurement of the items.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)

TACLOBAN CITY – The City Treasurer’s Office expressed optimism that they would be able to achieve their collection target of more than P1 billion pesos this year.
City Treasurer Zosima Cordaño made the statement during the last week of the ongoing business renewal and Real Property Tax (RPT) in this City.
In an interview over Radio Program “Sumat Tacloban,” Cordaño disclosed that the city government targets to collect P1.4 billion for 2019; the majority of the targeted revenue will come from local sources such as real property and business taxes, and economic enterprise which includes the market, slaughterhouse, and terminal collections.
“The revenue target for this year is higher than last year’s P1.2 billion, but we are nevertheless hopeful that we will be able to hit the target with the cooperation of our taxpayers,” she said.
As part of the revenue generation initiatives of Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez, the Kanhuraw Business Center (KBC) came up with innovations that would give taxpayers more ease in paying their taxes such that assessment and payment of real property taxes can now be had in one location, while business renewal have been streamlined into three steps.
The online payment system of the local government dubbed Electronic Payment Portal (EPP) also went full blast this year allowing taxpayers to pay their taxes right at the comfort of their home or business establishment.
According to the city treasurer, local business operators will have until January 20, 2019 to renew their business permits and licenses per City Revenue Ordinance 99-58 or be penalized with a 25 percent surcharge and a 2 percent interest per month.
Since the last day of business renewal falls on a Sunday, the KBC has extended its business hours until 7 pm, which started last January 14 to 18.
However, cash transactions will only be accepted until 6 pm. On Saturday, January 19, the KBC will be open to serve clients starting 8 am until 5 p.m.
On the other hand, real property taxpayers will have until January 31 to avail of the 20 percent maximum discount on real property taxes.
Meantime, the city government expects more than 8,000 regular business permits to be processed this year. – (HENRY JAMES G. ROCA/CIO)