City gov't told to defer tax code implementation

By Felix N. Codilla III

A GROUP of private sector individuals is requesting the local government unit (LGU) to defer the implementation of the 2011 Revenue Code of Ormoc. They are asking that more time and consultations be given to enable the public to scrutinize the proposed measure.

In a three-page letter addressed to Councilor Ruben Capahi, chairman of the ways and means committee, the civic leaders expressed concern on the varying levels of tax increases to be imposed on businesses. “It is very difficult to determine the rational basis for such impositions and we could not understand the pattern,” they said in the letter.

The increases range from 6.4% to 900% depending on the nature of business. One of the biggest tax increase, for example, will be imposed on fastfoods and restaurants at P1,000 from P190 or a whooping 426.3% hike. KTV/cocktail bars and similar establishments will pay 344.4% more on business tax or P1,000 from the present P225 (see table below).

But the most contentious increase that will affect the general public is water rates. Ormoc charges the lowest water rate in the country at P3.50/m³ for the first 10m³ and P3.85/m³ above 10m^3. The Revenue Code will raise this by 185% to P10/m³ for the first 41-50m³ and P11/m³ above 50 m³.

The Code will also begin to tax newly operated businesses at 7.5% of 1% of capital investment. It will also impose P20 monthly garbage fee on residents which will reflect on the water bill. The civic leaders believe these will make Ormoc unattractive to investors.

The letter criticized the hasty public hearing on the Revenue Code last Dec. 22 and 23 which it describes as “untimely” with many businessmen busy with year-end activities failing to attend. The general sentiment at the consultation is that the public wasn’t given enough time to study the Code as the 120-page document was distributed only during the first week of December.

The sectoral leaders urges the LGU to gather more inputs from multi-stakeholders and conduct more forums at the barangay level. In view of this, they also request ample time to allow various interest groups to study the proposal and come up with intelligent and realistic recommendations.

Otherwise, the LGU may not effectively enforce the Revenue Code for lack of acceptability from the general public, they warn. “People may end up disobeying…for the simple reason they are unable to comply with the ordinance,” the letter reads. The measure is now on second reading at the City Council.

The signatories of the letter are Engr. Jovencio Laurete Jr., president of Ormoc Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Ma. Milagros L. Rizarri, president of IAL Corp.,; Atty. Roy Bernard Fiel, vice president of Ormoc Sugar Planters Assoc.; Iñigo Larrazabal, incoming president of Rotary Club of Ormoc Bay; Atty. Benjamin Pongos, president of Ormoc Memorial Gardens; Marissa Omoto, president of Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants-Ormoc chapter; and Benedicto Lambunao, president of Ormoc Motorized Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association.

Motorcycle store robbed

ANOTHER establishment was robbed this time on New Year’s Eve. Two masked robbers entered Motortrade in F. Ablen St. near the corner of Lilia Ave. 1:00 pm and divested the motorcycle store of P45,421 in cash and the cellphone units of three employees.

Branch secretary Melody Esmero, 22, single of Punta, this city said the suspects, wearing ski masks, t-shirts and short pants, didn’t take long to do the job. Armed with a gun, the robbers ordered the employees to surrender the money and cellphones then casually walked out the store.

Also in the store was manager Ramil Agner, 36 of San Miguel, Leyte and credit collector Erwin Monares, 29 of Hibulangan, Villaba town. Precinct 1 OIC Insp. Alvin Shevert Machete is dismayed by the employees’ delayed distress call and the absence of a CCTV camera in the store.

Had the employees called immediately, the police led by City Police Dir. SSupt. Nilo D. Donayre would have responded earlier and caught the robbers considering the suspects didn’t had a getaway vehicle and just walked towards the direction of Isla Verde, Insp. Machete said.

Responding policemen conducted a hot pursuit operation but failed to catch the robbers. Instead, they nabbed a junkie by the name of Randel Rapales, 27, single of Mabini St., this city. He was caught at Purok Dama de Noche in Cogon in possession of three small sachets of shabu, two rolled marijuana leaves, a Nokia 5310 cellphone and P3,793 in cash. He was sent to the Philippine National Police crime laboratory in Palo town and was charged of violating RA 9165 or the Dangerous Drugs Act. By Dong Arañez

Police crack down on illegal firecracker manufacture, sale

AS part of the implementation of Oplan Paputok, the Ormoc Police Office swooped down a house suspected of illegally manufacturing pyrotechnics last Dec. 31. Subject of the inspection is the residence of Gerry Andrew Macias at Doña Feliza Mejia Subdivision, this city.

The inspection was made considering there are only two licensed pyrotechnics manufacturer in Ormoc who happen to be both Muslims. Macias complained about the absence of a search warrant upon the arrival of the police and denied manufacturing firecrackers, saying whatever pyrotechnics the police found in his house were for personal consumption.

City Police Dir. SSupt. Nilo Donayre explained that even without a warrant, they are duty bound to conduct the inspection to ensure the safety of the community. His men failed to find a large quantity of pyrotechnics and believe the owner hid them. But without a warrant, they couldn’t search the house.

Eventually, Macias admitted to selling pyrotechnics and even showed a business permit for the purpose. At the vacant lot across his house, police found traces of gunpowder which led them to suspect even more that firecrackers are being manufactured at that place.

That same day, three firecracker vendors were arrested at the public market. Elements of Precinct 1 led by PO1 Ariel Pia Nuñez conducted a saturation drive 11:00 that morning and chanced upon the three vendors. The sale of pyrotechnics is only allowed at the plaza seawall.

Caught are Norhanifa Sulta, 20, single and tricycle driver Reanso Pepito, 29, both of Tambulilid, this city, and Asliah Dimal, 18 of Cogon, this city. They were detained and their wares confiscated but were released after the reglamentary period. by Elvie Roman-Roa

Ormoc mulled as venue for One Visayas confab

THE provincial government of Leyte is planning to host this year the One Visayas convention of the Regional Development Councils of Western Central and Eastern Visayas. Because of the absence of large venues in Tacloban and Palo, Gov. Carlos Jericho L. Petilla said the activity may be held in other cities in the region like Ormoc, Leyte or Maasin, Southern Leyte.

Participants who gather to the annual One Visayas come from local governments, line agencies, state colleges and universities, and private sector groups of Regions 6, 7 and 8. Previous One Visayas activities were Cebu held at Cebu International Convention Center and Gerry Roxas Foundation Convention Center in Roxas City.

“We really would like to have One Visayas held here in 2011 and we’ll just look for a good venue for that,” said Gov. Petilla, the new chairman of the Regional Development Council (RDC) in Eastern Visayas. The activity is seen to promote the business, tourism and economic potentials of Leyte and Region 8.

RDC-8 already hosted one activity of One Visayas in 2010 dubbed as Visayas Health at Leyte Park Hotel in Tacloban. The RDC 8, played host to the affair in partnership with the Department of Health (DOH)-Center for Health Development under Regional Dir. Edgardo Gonzaga. Other One Visayas activities are the Climate Change Summit as well as Culture and Arts Festival that were held in Cebu and Roxas Cities.

One Visayas is the brainchild of and is led by the chairpersons of the RDCs of each of the three regions: Antique Gov. Sally Perez, Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia and Samar Rep. Mel Senen Sarmiento for Region 8 who formerly chaired RDC-8. (PMRC)