by anyajulia | Oct 9, 2009 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
CAPITOL gives a chance for delinquent real property taxpayers here to settle their accounts in a amnesty condoning the 2% monthly penalties for their unpaid taxes on properties.
The real property tax (RPT) amnesty is the subject of Provincial Ordinance 2009-021 whcin provides the guidelines for the implementation of the tax fine condonation, says Vice Governor Julius Caesar Herrera recently.
Board Member Bienvenido Molina pushed the move to bring down the tax amnesty after Capitol-initiated tax campaigns gathered that real property tax owners with back payments are willing to settle.
The tax campaigns gathered that delinquent taxpayers are willing to pay for the basic and the Special Educational Fund component of the taxes.
They think however that the 2% monthly penalty burdens them.
Provincial Treasurer Eustaquio Socorin, during last Friday’s meeting cited that the move to come out with the ordinance on the amnesty is a win-win solution to increase the internal revenue collection of the province as well as usher in the general revision of the real property taxes.
He also explained that the amnesty can be availed only once and applies only to the 2% imposable penalty.
The amnesty also applies only to those able to pay for the basic tax and special educational fund not later than March 10, 2010, or all condoned penalties would be re-imposed.
The amnesty, he added only works for owners of lots, which were published delinquent as of 2008.
Not covered by the amnesty are those who entered into a compromise agreement with capitol relative to their tax delinquency and those real property owners whose lots have been published for auction sale, according to Socorin. (PIA)
by anyajulia | Oct 9, 2009 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
ELECTRICAL consumer products bearing the old import commodity clearance (ICC) logos may have to be recalled, and keeping them in stalls may be illegal.
This as the government would soon outmode the old ICC security marks which have been faked many times.
As the government implements the new security logo for standardized imported products in the markets, the attempt to negate the chances of consumers buying fire-hazard counterfeit and sub-standard products again surges forward.
According to Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Bohol consumer products regulations officer Jose Hibaya, the move may be out soon and that they would start implementation right away.
Before that however, the office would be sending advisories to retailers and display shops to return stocks not bearing the genuine ICC marks to their importers.
In the past, fake and sub-par products continue to flood the markers despite honest efforts by price and consumer product authorities.
At the weekly Kapihan sa PIA, Hibaya issued the alarm as he noted that the on-coming holidays would also heighten the sales of series lights and other electronic or electrical decorations, some of which may be purchased by innocent consumers.
The Kapihan tackled the annual celebration of consumer month and the issues as well as the Theme Generic Drugs, Gawang Pinoy, Galing Pinoy Tangkilikin Natin.
Hibaya also admitted that since 1999, the local DTI has had a lot of apprehended Christmas series lights not bearing the ICC or the quality product standards logo.
He also added that there have been corresponding cases have been filed erring store-owners.
Hibaya pointed out that the new ICC security codes, which would be almost impossible to fake would be stuck on packages of every imported item, regardless of the size.
The usual practice of bogus suppliers is to put only one ICC mark in the bundled packaging of products.
This is illegal, he claimed.
Moreover, he said the government would first put up a period to comply before going tough on the imposition of strict regulations. (PIA)
by anyajulia | Oct 9, 2009 | Headlines, National News
In the advent of some reported unreasonable price increases in basic commodities bought about by the effects of the calamities President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (PGMA) has issued a price freeze of selected basic commodities until the state of national calamity is lifted.
The result is that prices of six basic commodities are frozen to their October 2 prevailing price levels.
The basic commodities: canned fish, processed milk, coffee, detergent or laundry soap, bread and salt should remain at tight watch by Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) monitors, says Jose Hibaya, consumer welfare and business regulatory division chief of the local office.
DTI Regional Director Asteria Caberte also issued the advisory to all retailers in Central Visayas, notifying them of the price freeze order imposed until President Arroyo shall lift her declaration of the state of calamity over the country, upon the recommendation of the National Disaster Coordinating Council.
Price freeze is based on the prevailing prices from DTI before the declaration of the state of calamity, Caberte warned retailers.
Sharing the advisory during the recent Kapihan sa PIA aired live over DyTR, Hubaya said the advisory also forms as warning to retailers not to get advantage of the situation brought about by the devastating calamities that hit the country.
The advisory also bears an accompanying sheet detailing that a 155 g sardine should not be sold in supermarkets at more than 11.80, the 370 ml Alaska condensed milk at 46.30 and the 305 ml condensed Milkmaid at P52.10.
370 ml Alaska evaporated milk is at 41.50, Alpine at P44.30 while Nido and Alaska 150 g powdered milk should always be sold at P72.00 and 41.50.
A 50 gram Nescafe refill is pegged at 35.95 in local supermarkets, 25 gram Blend 45 refill at P15.75 while Great Taste of the same weight is sold at 17.15.
420 g Mr. Clean detergent bar and laundry soap should be at P20.50, 400 g Perla at P40.00 and Surf bar kalamansi is at P19.50.
A 400 gram loaf bread is at P30.00, 500 gram at P45 and 20 gram pan de sal sells at P1.75 each.
Iodized 250 g Fidel salt should not be more than 5.25 while 1 kg Fidel rock salt sells at P7.75.
According to Caberte, anybody caught in violation of the price freeze can get a miximum of ten years and a penalty reaching P1 millon.
Over this, DTI calls concerned citizens to help them and their deputized agents monitor any noticed price increases. Complaints and inquiries can be coursed through DTI-Bohol at 501 8260 or 411 3302, stressed Hibaya. (PIA)
by anyajulia | Oct 9, 2009 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita, Panglao International Airport
NOTHING gets on the way with Bohol development, local officials have tersely stressed.
Behind the building belief that the Panglao Bohol International Airport (PBIA) Project is now doomed to crash before it could even take off, local officials and President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo again whipped a wise formula to keep the P7.6 billion project taxiing.
This week, the National Economic Development Authority is set to flick on the green light to rev on the use of the P4.2B it initially okayed for the 2.5 kilometer PBIA airport runway, control tower and lighting and navigation facilities, relayed Governor Erico Aumentado during his weekly radio program.
With the airport facility and its allied infrastructure now nearly doubling from its initial P4.2B feasibility study cost, PGMA nodded to the construction of the 2.5 kilometer runway and the installation of the lighting and navigation facilities, in a meeting with Bohol officials and funding agencies last week.
The president also directed Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) General manager Alfonso Cusi to immediately go for the runway, control tower and navigation facilities construction, which can be funded by the ready P4.2B, the same being well within the budget.
At the weekly Governor’s Reports, Aumentado told Boholanos Friday that National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Director General Augusto Santos has already received the MIAA letter last October 7, upon orders of the president, asking them to immediately green light the project using the P4.2B which NEDA has approved earlier.
He also reported that NEDA, through Sec. Santos is set to flick the switch for the bidding anytime within the week.
Over this, the governor added that the MIAA has already studied the terms of reference on the bidding of the runway, tower, lighting and airport navigational facilities.
With this, the bidding of the project is set to begin this week and the projects engineering works to be awarded as soon before the real groundbreaking this December, the governor assured.
The MIAA initially vowed P3.2 billion while the Department pf Transportation and Communication pushed across the table P1 billion for the P4.2 billion facility set to be constructed in the southwestern part of Panglao town.
As for the remaining structures that could not be funded anymore, Aumentado, during the meeting with the President at the Bahay Pangarap presented his formula.
The last term governor proposed that the terminal building of the facility be put on a build-operate-transfer scheme, where he mentioned interested private contractors willing to put up the funds.
With the win-win formula, Aumentado and President Arroyo has again showed how skillful negotiations can push for projects which can be economically beneficial to the Visayas super-region. (PIA)
by anyajulia | Oct 8, 2009 | Headlines, National News
The 7th National Nutrition Survey results are out. Released by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), the survey showed that the nutrition situation of Filipinos has not improved much from 2003/2005 levels.
There are more undernourished children and nutritionally at-risk pregnant and lactating women. The prevalence of adults with chronic energy deficiency, however, has declined.
Given the results of the 7th NNS, Nutrition, Health and Hunger-Mitigation measures will be directed on the highly at-risk groups such as the pregnant women, infants and young children. (DOH/PIA)
Click here for full article.
