Latebreakers, by PERCY A OSTONAL

Taxation target ... A truck hauling earth from Pudado, Labo, for PanCentury, a petrochemical plant at Baranggay Osmenia in Jose Panganiban, CamNorte. This company is the first target of a newly-passed municipal ordinance in Mambulao. Mayor Ricarte Padilla is worried that the 24/7 hauling operations of Pan Century would one day start destroying his newly-cemented roads within the poblacion that lead to the compound of the Indian-owned chemical plant. - Facebookpicture

Road to Baranggay Osmena … this is a portion of the road at Purok 5 in Baranggay Bagong-bayan that ends at the compound gate of Pan Century in Baranggay Osmena. If the 24/7 operations of heavy dump trucks hauling mineral-rich earth from a quarry at Pundado, Labo, CamNorte, and destined for Pan Century, go on, chances are this road would crumble one day, giving new headaches to the local government of Jose Panganiban. A toll for the use of this road will soon be imposed on these trucks as a measure to raise funds for the eventual repair of this road. – MWBuzzpic by AP HERNANDEZ

Local taxation. The Jose Panganiban municipal council recently passed a tax (levy) ordinance under Section 154 (Public Utility Charges) of The local Government Code of the Philippines book II, Local Taxation and Fiscal Matters - Title One, Local Government Taxation , Chapter I- General Provisions. The tax move is aimed at a private trucking organization that currently hauls earth believed to have rich ore minerals from Baranggay Pundado, Labo, CamNorte and loaded onto an stand-by Chinese cargo vessel anchored at a seaport at a Baranggay Osmena seaport in Jose Panganiban. From our sources, it has been said that "such hauling activities" could not take place 24/7 without authorization/sanction from the office of the provincial governor.

Section 138 of the above provisions that states: Tax on sand, gravel and other quarry resources - the province may levy and collect not more than 10% of the fair market value in the locality per cubic meter of ordinary stones, sand, gravel, earth and other quarry resources as defined under the National Internal Revenue Code, as amended, extracted from public lands or from the beds of seas, lakes, rivers. streams, creeks and other public waters within its territorial jurisdiction. The permit to extract sand, gravel and other quarry resources shall be issued exclusively by the provincial governor, pursuant to the ordinance of the Sanggunian Panlalawigan. The proceeds of the tax on sand, gravel and other quarry resources shall be distributed as follows:

*Province - 30 %

             

*Component  city or municipality where sand, gravel and quarry resources are extracted -30 %

*Baranggay where sand, gravel and other quarry resources are extracted - 40 %

The provincial government of CamNorte is being alleged as the direct contracting party to the trucking organization that uses JP's municipal roads, pier or wharf, waterway, bridge or telecommunication system funded and constructed by the local government unit, according to our local reporter. The provincial government has been silent about it and has never bothered to send any communication to JP-LGU as of this time whatsoever concerning the trucking activities. The ordinance has been officially transmitted to the office of Governor Edgar Tallado for response. It is worth knowing what Section 154 is all about which states:

The Sanggunian concerned may prescribe the terms and conditions and fix the rates for the imposition of TOLL FEES or CHARGES for the use of any public road, pier or wharf, waterway, bridge, ferry or telecommunication system funded and constructed by the local government unit concerned.

Section -129 (Power to create sources of revenue) has its  relation to section-154 which states:

Each local government unit shall exercise its power to create its own resources of revenue and to levy taxes, fees, and charges subject to the provisions herein, consistent with the basic policy of local autonomy. Such taxes, fees, and charges shall accrue exclusively to the local government units.

(Reference/information are sourced from the Website of: The local Government Code Of the Philippines book II, Local Taxation and Fiscal Matters-Title One, Local Government Taxation, Chapter I- general Provisions )

Rejoice, rejoice, Rejoice. Baranggay Nakalaya "farm-to-market-road" has been completed!!! Hindi pa po ipinanga-nganak ang mga ninuno namin dito sa Baryo NAKALAYA noon pero talagang ganyan na po ang daan dito …  totoong pahihirapan kayo. Ni sa pangarap ay walang mag-aakalang magiging "modern" ang daan naming mga taga-rito, sobra-sobra po ang katuwaan naming lahat dahil hindi na po kami masyadong mag po-poblema lalong-lalong na kung bagyo at tag-ulan. Sa wakas makakapunta na kami sa bayan para dalhin ang mga inanin namin dito sa bundok, ebenta at madagdagan ang kunting ikinabubuhay namin at kahit anong oras lalong lalo na po kung may itatakbo sa bayan dahil sa malubhang sakit ay hindi na kami mag dadalawang isip pa,” ang wika ng  isang taga baryo ng ito'y makausap ng ating lokal reporter.

It’s fun in Panganiban!!!! Creativity of introducing oneself to the political arena which rides on 2012 national tourism slogan "It’s Fun in the Philippines" is something "catchy" that the residents of JP have noticed lately. A youthful University of the Philippines-Los Banos, Laguna graduate-scholar Tres Panganiban who is running for Sanggunian-Bayan under the Liberal Party has printed posters of himself, which say: "It’s fun in Panganiban". Sixto Brillantes, the Comelec chairman said that as long as candidates for 2013 local elections are simply introducing themselves in order for voters to know them (candidates), then, that's OK. Otherwise, if they started to do real "house-to-house campaigning" before the designated campaign day schedules, it becomes a violation of the election law. Meanwhile, someone close to the political camp of re-electionists Mayor Dong Padilla and Vice-Mayor Ariel Non told our correspondent that none of the eight administration Sanggunian-bayan candidates (six re-electionists, two newcomers), will have an individual or separate political and campaign poster/paraphernalia. Instead as a showcase and trade-mark of the PERFORMANCE TEAM and UNITY, they'll have only a single election advertisement headlined by Padilla and Non.

Parannial station 'advanced team' in town. MWBuzz recently received news from our local reporter that about two platoons (about 50 soldiers and officers in one platoon) of listed/unlisted personnel of the Philippine Air Force started arriving to the old military installation to begin the process of rehabilitation and help in clearing up the place that was abandoned in the 70s. Said group of military men is headed by a lieutenant. Our local reporter has gathered that soon these men will be joined-in by some few technical personnel and engineering experts from Philippine Air Force Headquarters base. The general re-clearing of the area falls into the hands of the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources and Bureau of Lands thru their respective heavy equipment motor pools.

Boardwalk back to its old glory. The wood hand-railings have been upgraded to stainless steel by JP Engineering and Construction Office. The entire facility has been cleared of graffiti writings and is NOW sporting brand-new coat of paints, courtesy of parents/guardians of the kids who did the vandalism. Under the watchful eyes of the parents/guardians and supervision/guidance from JP construction office representative, these kids did the painting themselves, thus learning for the first time what it meant to do a "community service". Our local reporter said that a big signboard greets everyone coming in to the boardwalk requesting for their full cooperation in maintaining the beauty, cleanliness and maintenance of the place. The ordinance prohibiting vandalism has now been fully implemented by JP-LGU.

New bus terminal construction starts early next year.

According to MWBuzz informants, construction of the JP main bus terminal (above) starts during the first quarter of 2013. It has been said that all funding requisites have been taken care of for the project. A new bus terminal will cater to the growing number of travelers from the community to Bicol region and northern Luzon, particularly Metro Manila.