COUNCILOR Ruben Capahi denied rumors that the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) will pass the proposed Revenue Code before year-end, saying the measure is still at the committee level. The Ormoc Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Orcham) expressed concern the SP might expedite the passage of the ordinance.
The group is against the increase in business taxes introduced by the proposed ordinance. It pressured the SP to indefinitely suspend the Revenue Code’s passage during a public hearing in Dec. 22-23 last year. However, Orcham received information that the SP is set to pass the measure on second reading.
Orcham’s basis is the preliminary statement of a leaked draft ordinance. It states that the Code was thoroughly discussed and deliberated upon during the two-day public hearing last December and is thus ready to be passed. Orcham VP Iñigo Larrabal said at the forum last Nov. 26 that they were made to believe the SP will conduct roundtable discussions with business sectors that will be affected by the tax increases. These discussions were never held.
But Councilor Capahi in an interview denied making such a statement. He clarified that the SP will make more consultations on three contentious items for further clarification namely water service fees, real property taxes and fees for the usage of the Superdome.
And since other items have been discussed already, those to be approved in the proposed ordinance are business taxes, regulatory fees and other revenue measures. Capahi said prolonged discussions on these items will be redundant considering these have been taken up already.
He cites an example provisions in the Building Permit and Miscellaneous Fees which was only lifted from the Building Code and as such, no longer needs revisiting in a public hearing. He also denied that the SP has already calendared the proposed ordinance on 2nd reading, saying the measure is still at the Committee on Ways and Means which he chairs. by Felix N. Codilla III
(WLWE issue of Nov. 28-Dec. 4, 2011)
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