TACLOBAN CITY -Local government units (LGUs) should be given directly their share of taxes from national wealth.
This is being suggested by the members of the Leyte provincial board which recently unanimously approved an endorsement supporting four Senate bills namely 241, 427,827, 1085, which provides for mechanisms for national wealth taxes to be directly given to host local government units.
Vice Governor Carlo Loreto noted that the proposal can improve the collections of the LGUs share of the national wealth tax and at the same time fast track the process for the host provinces, cities and municipalities to get hold and utilize their excise taxes.
At present, the share of LGU in national wealth taxes has to be remitted first to the national government and will remain in government coffers for three years before it will finally be released to the concerned LGU.
“The proposed bill is good because, as it is, there is already a delay in getting the remitted taxes back to the LGUs,” Loreto said.
Out of the 45%, only 40% shares are being remitted back to LGUs which, according to Loreto, this causes delay to development projects the taxes are intended for.
The Local Government Code provides that in addition to the internal revenue allotment (IRA), LGUs shall have an equitable share in the proceeds derived from the utilization and development of the national wealth within their respective areas, including sharing the same with the inhabitants by way of direct benefits.
The amount of share is 40 percent of the gross collection derived by the national government from the preceding fiscal year from mining taxes, royalties, forestry and fishery charges, and such other taxes, fees, or charges, including related surcharges, interests, or fines, and from its share in any co-production, joint venture or production sharing agreement in the utilization and development of the national wealth within their territorial jurisdiction.
In June, the Department of Budget and Management released in a total of P863,722,833.48 from the total actual collection amounted to P2,158,194,583.76, as 40% share of LGU in the proceeds from petroleum, coal, geothermal, hydrothermal, and wind resources.
Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas and Central Visayas get the biggest allocation of shares in the amount of P724.84 million, P49.21 million, and P33.55 million, respectively.
Leyte hosts the largest geothermal field and a number of other mining explorations. (AHLETTE C. REYES)
Leyte board seeks direct release of wealth tax to LGUs
Goma files complaint against Espenido at the Napolcom
TACLOBAN CITY-Albuera, Leyte police chief, Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido, downplayed the complaint filed against him by Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez before the National Police Commission (Napolcom).
Gomez on Wednesday (Nov.16) filed a seven-page complaint before the Napolcom-Manila for grave misconduct, grave abuse of authority, dishonesty and conduct of unbecoming of a police officer against Espenido.
Also charged by Gomez were Inspector Leo Laraga of the regional office of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and PO3 Hydie Yutrago of the Albuera police.
Laraga publicly named Gomez as one of the alleged protectors of the Espinosa drug group during a Senate inquiry while Yutrago was said to have “prepared” an affidavit where names of alleged drug protectors were mentioned.
“That is his right to file the complaint. As they say, we live in a democracy. I will just answer the complaint filed against me by the mayor,” Espenido said.
The Albuera police chief insisted that he never committed any wrongdoing on his campaign against illegal drugs in Albuera.
Espenido added that what he said was based on the affidavit executed by slain Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr.
“He and the others who also executed their affidavits came to our station voluntarily. We never used force for them to execute and sign the affidavit and they were assisted by lawyers when they did that,” he said.
Gomez, in filing the complaint, claimed that he has never been a supporter nor received money from the Espinosas.
He also alleged that the affidavits containing names of alleged drug protectors of the Espinosas were “ready-made.”
Three witnesses who later retracted the affidavits they signed, namely, Max Miro, Gado Stephen Bobares and Brian Anthony Gates Zaldivar, were “ready-made.”
By dragging his name to the Espinosas, the three police officials should be “punished for their deplorable acts in order to preserve the stringent standard for police officers.”
“Their complete disregard of the laws and rights of the innocent individuals clearly make them unworthy to remain in the police force,” Gomez said in his complaint.
He asked for the Napolcom that the three police officers be placed under preventive suspension order amid his complaint.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
Leyte 2nd LED to bid projects worth P632 million this December
TACLOBAN CITY – The Second Leyte Engineering District of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is set to start the bidding of P 632 million worth of infrastructure projects for 2017.
These are projects to be undertaken by the district office under the P 1.7 billion regular infrastructure fund approved by the DPWH national office for the district engineering projects for 2017.
2nd LED District Engineer Carlos Veloso said a higher budget is allocated for 2017 compared to this year, thus, the district can expect more infrastructure projects to be started in the next coming months.
On November 27, scheduled to be bidded are 27 projects after its pre-detailed engineering was recently completed.
Meanwhile, the rest of the projects are still ongoing pre-detailed engineering and will be bidded out by December 5, 2017.
Veloso said that all projects of the district for 2017 are targeted to be all bidded out next month.
These projects consist mainly of widening, reblocking and flood control projects. Also, bridge widening projects are also set in 2017 and will target to expand the bridges to more than two lanes.
These bridges include Calbasag Bridge, Bocog Bridge, Balocawe Bridge, Bawon Bridge and Balire Bridge along the Maharlika Highway.
Ponong Bridge, Sagkahan Bridge, Tagak Bridge and Cocot Bridge along the Palo-Carigara-Ormoc Road are also part of the bride widening project.
Meanwhile, a P 201 million Binahaan Bridge project will also be started along the Pastrana-Dagami-Burauen road. The project will be implemented by the regional office of the DPWH.
(AHLETTE C. REYES)
Leyte farmers group heralded as one of country’s best
(VICKY C. ARNAIZ)
By VICKY C. ARNAIZ
TACLOBAN CITY- A farmers’ group from Jaro, Leyte was named as one of the country’s best farmers groups by a prestigious group.
The Villaconzoilo Community Association (VCA), a cooperative of farmers in Barangay Villaconzoilo, Jaro, Leyte was named as this year’s winner of the TOFARM Awards in the agriculture initiative category during the awarding ceremony held Tuesday (Nov.15) at Makati Shangri-La Hotel, Makati City.
The TOFARM Awards, launched in 2012, aim to inspire and encourage farmers to remain true to their noble calling.
For winning an award, VCA received P100,000 cash award and a gold-plated trophy personally received by Alex Arbonita, founder and president of the group.
Arbonita is also the current village chair of Villaconzoilo, an upland village of 360 residents and is seven kms away from the town proper.
The association started in the year 2010 by 18 farmers of the village who bonded together to start compact farming with just P1,000 as their initial capital and a two hectares lot.
They first grow native vegetables and later shifted to “salad type” vegetables that are not normally grown in the region.
Six years later, the group has now P4 million in cash at the bank and P20 million in assets including the 28 hectares of land they are currently cultivating.
Its members have also grown to 38.
Seeing the potential of this farming village, on the directive of Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla, who also joined Arbonita in receiving the award, the Provincial Agriculture’s Office (PAO) conducted technical assistance to the group.
The farmers group was formally created and registered at the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) last January 25, 2016.
PAO has provided farmers’ training and seedlings as well as tilapia fingerling dispersals including hogs.
They were also provided with assistance in downloading projects from government line agencies aside from the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in their National Greening Program, the Philippine Coconut Authority and other government and private agencies.
“We maintain a wide support to our farmers. We always motivate them in pursuit of agriculture excellence under the More Income in the Countryside or MIC Program,” Gov.Petilla said.
Aborita said that their cooperative is community-based and their programs and projects aimed in helping the government solve poverty and hunger.
The farm produces high-value vegetables including lettuce, radish, Baguio beans, carrots, broccoli, cauliflowers, eggplants, onions, ginger, cucumber, turmeric, sweet bell peppers and cherry tomatoes.
Their harvests are mostly distributed to shopping malls in Tacloban City.
They also allotted 11 hectares for root crops, jackfruit, rambutan, durian, banana, lanzones and papaya; seven hectares of land planted with the Queen watermelon of the sweetest variety and six hectares of land planted with cacao.
They also grow grapes and recently cultivated strawberries and asparagus.
The province recently opened a vegetable market for their produce and that of other farmers’ vegetable association at the Leyte Academic Center.
When Leyte was devastated by supertyphoon “Yolanda” in 2013, farmers of Villaconziolo felt isolated and almost lost hope since their vegetables were wiped out.
But under the stewardship of Aborita, the farmers gathered enough strength and guts and started trekking 20 kilometers in the ranges of Mt. Amandewing to reach Ormoc City to purchase seedlings that include cucumber, tomatoes, eggplants, pechay, cabbage and pepper.
The VCA was later adopted by the “Balik-sa-Saka” (Back to Farm), a project of the Junior Chamber of International Philippines (JICP) and Universal Harvester, Inc. (UHI) and assisted in their rehabilitation and development.
JCIP said that they helped the Yolanda stricken areas which meant being one with them in their suffering and doing something to alleviate it.
In early 2014, they were selling vegetables in the market of the municipalities of Jaro and nearby.
In May 2015, they joined the launching of the Summer Fun leg in Leyte as farm tourism.
PASAR: A heaven-sent establishment to Leyte
By: Alvin Gz. Arpon
The Philippine Associated Smelting and Refinery Corporation (PASAR) hadbeen in Isabel, Leyte for about 30 years ago when this was established and the facilities constructed in 1983.
Worthy of note is this was established during the reign of President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos, Sr. 11 years after he declared Martial Law in Sept. 21, 1972.
(A laudable project and many more nationwide yet FM remains unpopular to those habitual cause –oriented groups FM haters who vehemently object for an LNMB burial of the late President.)
It was not a walk in the park when PASAR project got known by leftists who also claim themselves before and even now as cause-oriented groups. This group immediately went around the barangays of Isabel and nearby towns conducting pulong-pulongsirresponsibly urging the people to rallyagainst the putting-up of PASAR inflicting fear that PASAR will pollute the air and the water around Isabel.
Immediately government responded and tasked the Department of Public Information Region 8, later named Office of Media Affairs (OMA) in later years, under the leadership of Atty. Vicente Mate Solis to conduct its own massive information drives to all barangays of Isabel and surrounding towns explaining to the people the truth and benefits our country will generate and especially the local government units of Isabel and nearly towns of Merida, Palompon and other towns.
That DPI Information team was led by Alvin Gz. Apron, DPI Provincial Information Chief of Maasin Southern Leyte, in those years. And the rest is a significant historical markedsuccessful event that PASAR underwent for the benefit and satisfaction of our country and the LocalGovernment Units.
-oOo-
PASAR is the only copper smelter and refinery in the country. Today it has the capacity to process 1.3 million metric tons per year of copper concentrates and its refinery has the capacity to process 225,000 metric tons per year of electrolytic copper carthodes, PASAR’s main product, a result of its recent expanding activity.
(An aside: PASAR got severely destroyed by Typhoon Yolanda in November 8, 2013 but in three months’ time they were able to restore normal operations.)
Copper is used in applications ranging from building constructions and industrial equipment to transportation, electronics and other high-tech products.
Refined copper markets include China, Korea, Taiwan, Japan and Southeast Asia nations.
Other by-products of PASAR include dore an alloy of gold and silver, used primarily for jewellery and electronics. Sulfuric acid as an ingredient in the manufacture of chemical fertilizer, selenium for textile, glass and photo copying industries and slag for other building and for cement manufacture; iron concentrate and copper residues.
Since its establishment PASAR has been instrumental inspurring developments in business, infrastructure, health, communications, electricity, water and educational services in the province of Leyte.
Main product is 99.99% electrolytic copper carthodes (Isabel brand) and it satisfactorily meets international standards.
PASAR is heaven-sent blessings indeed to Region 8. Ofits 2,000 employees in its payroll 90% of this number come from our Local Government Units, spread region-wide.
Isabel, was once upon a time a quiet village purely rural in nature.Today after 30 years of PASAR operation, Isabel has metamorphosed into a bustling economic haven whose income can already qualify from just being a town to become a city. We learned that in spite of the influx of people from outside the population is not enough yet to make it a city.
Taxes paid by PASAR for the past 5 years is more or less P365 million from 2007-2012, and 40% of these goes to the Isabel coffers.
DSWD releases Status Report on `Yolanda’ Funds and Shelters for survivors
Today is the 3rd anniversary of the tragedies caused by Supertyphoon Yolanda and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is releasing this 3rd report on its investigations on its own `Yolanda’ efforts.
DSWD Secretary Judy M. Taguiwalo, speaking today to `Yolanda’ survivors in Tacloban and addressing other survivors in other regions severely hit by `Yolanda’, said that they are releasing their initial findings in response to the clamor of Filipinos for an explanation as to where all the donations and government disaster funds went.
“We want to inform the Filipino people, the international community and most particularly the `Yolanda’ survivors regarding the `Yolanda’ funds and how they have been utilized. Most of the funds were alloted for Emergency Shelter Assistance (ESA), but even now thousands of `Yolanda’ survivors and their families have yet to receive a single peso. In the meantime, a shocking 62% of all DSWD core shelters have yet to be built,” she said.
“I have already made all these findings known to President Rodrigo Duterte, as well as informed him of the demands of `Yolanda’ survivors for justice and accountability. He has declared his preparedness to address these issues, and said that he is not indifferent to the plight of the poor in Tacloban and the other provinces devastated by `Yolanda’,” the Secretary continued.
Cash Donations to DSWD
From No. 11, 2013 to June 30, 2016, DSWD received Php1,165,797,345.13 from local and international donations.
Local donations ranged from the lowest at Php 75.65 (received on Dec. 3, 2013 from Sagip Bata – Labok) up to a maximum of Php 25M (received Nov. 16, 2013 from Hyundai Asia Resources Inc.)
Donations in foreign currency ranged from USD 1 (received on Nov. 21, 2013 from Angat Kabataan para sa Bayan of San Rafael, Bulacan) to USD 10M (received Nov. 26, 2013 from the Ministry of Finance Kingdom of Saudi Arabia);
Other nations sent donations, such as the following: Malaysia (USD 1M); Pakistan (USD 1M); Indonesia (USD988,821.62); Republic of the Union of Myanmar (USD 100,000.00); Australia (USD 450,670); Nigeria (Php 14,005,405.13);
By the end of June 2016, expenses from the donations reached Php 1,137,244,374.06. On August 11, 2016, Field Office V returned Php 6,613,669.35. Hence, by the end of August 2016, total expenses reached Php 1,130,630,704.71. The remaining balance from donations is Php 35,166,640.42.
ADB Grant for Construction of Core Shelters: (from DREeAMB report)
Here are findings from some of the projects funded for cash donations and from ADB:
a. The contractor for the boat garage has billed the LGU of Guiuan, Eastern Samar for 85% completion. But on actual site visit, the construction is less than 20% completed based on plan.
b. The original location of core shelter project of LGU Guiuan, Eastern Samar did not materialize. Instead, during data-gathering, it was found that the LGU was demolishing some of the transition homes in Brgy. Cogon in preparation for the construction of the core shelters. These transition homes were constructed by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) using DSWD funds.
c. IOM was awarded P189M for the construction of 2,480 transition shelters (TS) at P76,210 per unit in Leyte, Eastern and Western Samar covering the project duration from August 1, 2014 to December 2015.
As of the September 2016 validation, they have been able to construct 770 TS and 640 Timber Houses (total of 1,410 units, 57% of the original target) for a total cost of P201M (additional 6.35% from the original budget). The balance of P12M was taken from Foreign Grants fund of ADB paid to IOM on June 20, 2016. Cost of the 770 transition shelters was P76,210.00 per unit and the cost of the 640 timber homes was P222,372.34 per unit of the shelters.
More on IOM Shelter
The IOM was given the project to construct transitional shelters for `Yolanda’ survivors in Leyte, Eastern and Western Samar. The amount released was P121,000,000.00/P12,000,000.00 and these were released on September 8, 2015 and June 28, 2016. The total project cost was P201 million, and the project duration was from August 1, 2014 to December 2015.
1) The IOM did a major change in the number of units it was supposed to construct and design without the DSWD’s proper evaluation. It converted 1,709 temporary shelters (TS) to 640 timber houses (TH) which resulted in excessive cost and a smaller number of beneficiaries.
a) Decreased number of shelters constructed by 1,070 or 43% from the 2,480 TS to 1410 TS/TH deprived, 1,070 beneficiaries of houses costing P81,544,700.
b) INCREASED number of shelter cost by 192% of P146,162.34 per unit as compared with the cost of a TS and 122% or P122,372.34 increase as against the cost of a DSWD standard core shelter of P100,000 per unit.
c) Increase in project cost by 6% or 12 million from P189,000,000 to P201,000,00 without increasing the number of temporary shelters.
2) Total overhead is P82,777,076 or 41% of total project cost of P201 million which is in excess of 14% allowable overhead.
3) One hundred thirty-three (133) TS were dismantled, costing P18,959,574.50 and these only lasted nine months from the date of transfer to owners, when the TS can actually last as long as FIVE (5) yeas. These TS were also upgraded by the DSWD to Core Shelters at a cost of P10,135,930. This resulted in a waste of government funds for the construction of TS when the needed shelters are core shelters. This rendered the funds for the 133 TS as wasted funds.
Changes and Remedies
Sec. Taguiwalo said that given the findings of the investigation, some steps are already being considered for implementation.
a. For DReAMB:
• Formulate new guidelines for distribution of ESA; Consult all the stakeholders, internal and external, of the project in crafting/formulating policies; Include guidelines to define partially and totally damaged homes
• Review guidelines for core shelter program to include provision that LGUs should secure lots for the relocation areas before funds are downloaded to them;
• To review the documentary requirements of the existing policies on disaster programs and assess their significance;
b. For DSWD, in general:
• Review guidelines for approval of projects to organizations which still have accountabilities with DSWD;
• Review guidelines to compel LGUs to liquidate funds received from DSWD;
c. For Field Offices:
• Enhance technical assistance and monitoring functions of Field Offices to LGUs which received DSWD program funds;
• For the Field Office VI to mobilize the Quick Response Teams to augment in the recovery and rehabilitation phase and request additional human resources from the Central Office to support its DRRMU operations.