Public Hearing on Proposed New Revenue Code in Camiguin Town Held

By Homer R. Jajalla

Camiguin News Update - The Sangguniang Bayan (SB) Committee on Ways and Means (CWM) is fast tracking the passage of the proposed Municipal Revenue Code, here, in a bid to update the existing tax code which was last passed in 1992.

Thus, a public hearing, attended by more than 200 participants representing various sectors, was held at the municipal gymnasium to gather public inputs on the proposed revenue measure which is needed to spur local growth.

Kagawad Jonard B. Labadan, Chairperson, SB WMCommittee, stressed the need to pass a new revenue measure because it has already been almost 20 years already that the municipality is operating with the old code.

“In 1992, we were the first municipality in Camiguin that was able to come up with a model revenue code, and now we are left behind because we are the only municipality in the province to have been unable to update it,” Labadan told participants at the hearing.

He added “Mahinognons” are still fortunate because for almost 20 years fees and charges in Mahinog have remained unchanged and are even considered minimal compared to other local government units (LGU) in the province.

At the public hearing, municipal treasurer Judith P. Baita presented the salient provisions of the town’s proposed Revenue Code.

Baita said the proposed revision includes ten percent (10%) increase of the rates in the existing 1992 revenue code as allowed by Republic Act 7160 otherwise known as The Local Government Code of 1991.

Under the code, LGU’s are authorized to adjust their tax rates once every five (5) years but such adjustment should not exceed ten percent (10%) of the rates fixed under the code.

Baita stressed it has been three (3) times, or more than 15 years, that the LGU chose not to take the opportunity to adjust its tax rates.

“It is high time now ‘to awake from the long sleep’ and pass a new revenue code in order to keep pace with the changing times,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Perla J. Garot, a participant from the business sector, said tax amendments are appropriate as long as the money is spent properly and it is also important that during the public hearings taxpayers should be made to understand how tax money is used.

Mayor Alex R. Jajalla said the new revenue measures is needed to finance more developmental projects.

He also assured that every centavo of the money collected from local taxes will be judiciously used for the purpose it is collected.