After seven hearings on the proposed 2016 general budget amounting to P1.8 billion, Bacolod Councilor Claudio Jesus Raymundo “Kalaw” Puentevella, chairman of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) Committee on Finance, yesterday said he will submit the consolidated committee report to the City Council for deliberation and approval next month. Puentevella earlier said he would try to submit the report before the end of January. Due to the absence of six department heads during the budget hearings, though, he said he will need to meet with them again before finalizing the draft of the report. Puentevella urged department heads from the City Budget Office, Human Resource Office, and other concerned department heads, as well as the Officer-in-Charge of the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO) to attend the committee conference on Monday, in order to discuss certain budgetary items that need to be scrutinized. “It is important for them to attend because we need to clarify their concerns about their proposals that will be part of the 2016 budget,” said Puentevella. He also wants to study the ability of the city to fund the projected P1.8 billion budget for this year. Some SP members have expressed urgency in passing the budget as they believe the delay will hamper the City’s ability to deliver basic services. At present, the city is using a reenacted budget of P1,550,000,000. Meanwhile, Acting Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran said the SP, during their regular session yesterday, had yet to act on the 2016 budget because they are still waiting for the committee report of Puentevella. Familiaran disclosed there are 63 pending requests with the SP that have yet to be tackled. According to its rules, the SP cannot entertain other matters prior to the approval of the annual budget. WDJ By Glazyl Jane Marie Y. Masculino January 28, 2016
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THE Bacolod City Council's Committee on Finance is scheduled to hold its last hearing on the proposed P1.8-billion 2016 annual budget on Wednesday, January 27. Until the 2016 is passed by the City Council, the City Government operates on a reenacted 2015 budget worth P1.55 billion. The City Council is prohibited by law to discuss other matters until the proposed 2016 budget is passed. The Committee on Finance, headed by Councilor Claudio Puentevella, earlier assured the City Council that he would finish the committee hearings before the end of the month. Acting Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran said on Monday, January 25, that the 2016 budget might be passed on February 10 if Puentevella would submit his consolidated committee reports on February 3 for City Council deliberation. Familiaran said that suspended Mayor Monico Puentevella, the councilor's father, might sign the document once the budget is passed on February 10 as he is set to return to office next month. The acting vice mayor said that as of Friday, January 22, the City Council has 49 pending requests that could not be tackled because of the pending budget deliberations. By CARLA N. CANET BACOLOD City – Persons with disabilities (PWDs) and senior citizens here will be provided with accessible polling places (APP) during the May 9 election, according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
There should be one APP in every barangay, said City Election Officer Mavil Majarucon–Sia. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is tasked to build the ramps at every APP, said Sia, citing an agreement between the DPWH and Comelec. Sia said the local election office is already coordinating with City District Engineer Abraham Villareal. The APPs will provide PWDs and senior citizens here — some of whom will most likely come on wheelchairs — access to the polling booths and make them feel comfortable while voting, said Sia. Pregnant women may not be considered at the APPs, but they will be provided a priority lane in their voting precincts, she said. For this year’s election, the city has 274,542 registered voters. In 2013, during the mid-term election, it had about 259,000. None of the 38 people who filed their certificates of candidacy for various posts across the city were disqualified or declared nuisance, said Sia. There are six candidates for congressman: Greg Gasataya of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), Jude Thaddeus Sayson of the National Unity Party (NUP), Carlos Jose Lopez of the Liberal Party (LP), Archie Baribar (independent), and Joel David Enriquez (independent). There are three candidates for mayor: Monico Puentevella (NUP), Evelio Leonardia (NPC) and Wilfredo David (independent). The vice mayoral race will be a face-off between El Cid Familiaran (LP) and Vladimir Gonzalez (NUP). Meanwhile, there are 27 candidates for city councilor: Allan Arroyo (independent), Wilson Gamboa Jr. (NUP), Dr. Francis Balzomo (independent), Sonya Verdeflor (LP), Lorney Lizander Dilag (NUP), Alex Paglumotan (NUP), Arnel Sigue (independent), Homer Bais (independent), Claudio Jesus Puentevella of the Nacionalista Party (NP), Jocylin Uychiat (NUP), Ana Marie Palermo (LP), Catalino Alisbo (LP), Rico Ferdinand William Villafuerte (independent); Ricardo Tan (NPC), Al Victor Espino (NPC), Bartolome Orola Sr. (NPC), Cindy Rojas (NPC), Renecito Novero (NPC), Israel Salanga (NPC), George Zulueta (NPC), Marlon Solidum (NPC), Caesar Distrito (NP), Elmer Sy (NPC), Em Ang (NPC), Dindo Ramos (NPC), Ronnie Albao (independent), and Jose Godfrey Perares (independent). Sia disclosed that the Comelec office here, on Feb. 9, will release a list of “common poster areas” in every barangay in this city./PN Panay News January 25, 2016 By MAE SINGUAY The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP), in yesterday’s regular session, has again failed to approve the proposed 2016 budget amounting to P1.8 billion. During the SP’s 3rd regular session, which only lasted for 10 minutes, the city council, according to acting Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, did not discuss anything because they still have yet to receive the committee report that was supposed to be submitted by Councilor Claudio Jesus Raymundo “Kalaw” Puentevella, chairman of the SP Committee on Finance. Familiaran said Puentevella has manifested that he will call for another hearing next week, and he is urging the Office of the Human Resources (HRO), the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO), and other concerned offices to attend, presumably the last hearing, in order to discuss whatever concerns they may have in their offices, after which he will submit the consolidated report to the legislative body. Earlier, Councilors Caesar Distrito, Em Ang, and Roberto “Bobby” Rojas have appealed to the city council to approve the budget as soon as possible because the SP has been constrained by the provision of the local government code that they cannot discuss other matters until after the 2016 budget is approved. But their appeal has yet to be acted upon. Familiaran revealed that there are 48 other matters and concerns of the city that are still pending with the SP, including the delayed release of the additional bonus for the regular and plantilla casual employees, and the request for extension of the business sector for the filing of the business permit application, which is already moot and academic because the deadline has already lapsed yesterday. At present, the city is using the re-enacted 2015 budget of P1.55 billion in order to continue its operation and ensure delivery of basic services to the city and its people./WDJ By Glazyl Jane Marie Y. Masculino The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP), in yesterday’s regular session, has again failed to approve the proposed 2016 budget amounting to P1.8 billion. During the SP’s 3rd regular session, which only lasted for 10 minutes, the city council, according to acting Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, did not discuss anything because they still have yet to receive the committee report that was supposed to be submitted by Councilor Claudio Jesus Raymundo “Kalaw” Puentevella, chairman of the SP Committee on Finance. Familiaran said Puentevella has manifested that he will call for another hearing next week, and he is urging the Office of the Human Resources (HRO), the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO), and other concerned offices to attend, presumably the last hearing, in order to discuss whatever concerns they may have in their offices, after which he will submit the consolidated report to the legislative body. Earlier, Councilors Caesar Distrito, Em Ang, and Roberto “Bobby” Rojas have appealed to the city council to approve the budget as soon as possible because the SP has been constrained by the provision of the local government code that they cannot discuss other matters until after the 2016 budget is approved. But their appeal has yet to be acted upon. Familiaran revealed that there are 48 other matters and concerns of the city that are still pending with the SP, including the delayed release of the additional bonus for the regular and plantilla casual employees, and the request for extension of the business sector for the filing of the business permit application, which is already moot and academic because the deadline has already lapsed yesterday. At present, the city is using the re-enacted 2015 budget of P1.55 billion in order to continue its operation and ensure delivery of basic services to the city and its people./WDJ Watchmen Daily Journal January 21, 2016 Glazyl Marie Y. masculino Acting Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya confirmed that the city will impose penalties and surcharges starting today, Jan. 21, after the deadline for early filing of business permits and renewal ended yesterday. A 25 percent surcharge and 2 percent penalty per month will now be imposed to those who failed to meet the deadline. As expected, the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) failed to take up the request of the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) and a group of accountants for the extension of business permit application and renewal until Feb. 15, during its regular session yesterday. Gasataya had earlier appealed to the city council to act on the request of the business sector, as he pointed out that it is only the legislative body that can extend, for a justifiable reason, the time for payment of such taxes, fees or charges without surcharges or penalties but only for a period not exceeding six months, as cited in Sec. 167 of the local government code. Meanwhile, acting Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran revealed that Councilors Em Ang, Ceasar Distrito and Roberto “Bobby” Rojas have proposed the passage of an ordinance extending the filing of business permit until Feb. 29. The proposed ordinance reiterated the Bacolod Revenue Code which provides that the Mayor’s Permit and business tax shall be renewed and paid on or before 20th of January and failure to do so shall subject the taxpayer to 25 percent surcharge and 2 percent penalty per month. Further, it stated that the SP every year extends the deadline of processing of business permits as well as payment of business taxes to give more time to taxpayers to settle their obligations to the city government. But such ordinance was not included in the agenda yesterday because the SP, based on the local government code, cannot take up other matters unless the proposed 2016 general budget amounting to P1.8 billion is approved. As of yesterday, the Permits and Licensing Division (PLD) has recorded at least 10,000 establishments who have already applied for business permits, compared to more than 17,000 recorded in 2015. PLD head Stela Rose Rayos said they will proceed with the inspection of business establishments as the One Stop Shop already ended yesterday./WDJ By Glazyl Jane Marie Y. Masculino It is unfortunate that the deadline yesterday for the processing and renewal of business permits was not extended by the Sangguniang Panlungsod, Acting Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya said yesterday. Gasataya said this is the first time in the history of Bacolod that the deadline was not extended. The SP should have acted on the request of the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other business groups for an extension in order to avail of the 10 percent discount, he said. Under Section 167 of the Local Government Code it is only the SP that can extend the deadline for the processing of business permit, Gasataya said. The mayor cannot issue an executive order to extend the deadline but only the SP, contrary to the information being spread by the other camp, he said. Gasataya said this is unfair to the taxpayers who are experiencing discomfort because of the non-extension of the deadline of the renewal of business permit. They do not deserve to be treated this way, he said. The taxpayers are the ones giving taxes to help the economy of the city and they should be treated with ease and comfort, Gasataya said. Many taxpayers queued for hours at the Treasurer's Office to beat the deadline yesterday in order to avoid paying penalties and surcharges, while city employees had to render overtime work until 1 a.m. to help process their applications, he said. Councilor Caesar Distrito said the mayor cannot extend the deadline which is set by the law and it is only an abling ordinance that could extend the deadline and not by a mere executive order. Distrito had proposed an ordinance that aims to extend until February 29, the January 20 deadline for paying business taxes, the filing or renewal of the business permits and condoning the surcharges and penalties, that was submitted to the SP recently. The ordinance, co-authored by Councilors Em Legaspi Ang and Roberto Rojas, said the Bacolod Revenue Code provides that the mayor's permit and business tax should be renewed and paid on or before 20th of January and failure to do so will subject the taxpayer to a 25 percent surcharge and 2 percent penalty per month. The proposed ordinance will also condone the 25 percent surcharge and the 2 percent penalty per month accrued on business taxes and permits of most taxpayers. It also said that the proposed ordinance is an answer to the request of acting Mayor Greg Gasataya to extend the deadline of the filing and renewal of business permits and the payment of the first quarter of the business taxes in response also to the appeals made by members of the business community and accounting firms in the City of Bacolod. The ordinance also stated that every year the SP extends the deadline of the processing of the business permits, as well as the payment of business taxes to give ample time to taxpayers to settle their obligations to the City Government. Distrito said they proposed for an extension of the deadline so taxpayers can still avail of the 10 percent discount on their payments. He said they were not able to pass the ordinance since the annual budget has not yet been approved. They are restricted by law and can only discuss one agenda, which is the annual budget, once the year has started but have not yet acted on the budget. Distrito said that, for the third time, they were not able to discuss any agenda except the budget. So the proposed ordinance that extends the deadline to February 28 was not passed. They hope to pass it in their next session and give it a retroactive effect, he said. Thousands of taxpayers will be affected by these penalties on business permit fee due to non-passage of the ordinance, Distrito said. Acting Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran said Councilor Claudio Puentevella, chairman of the SP Committee on Finance and Appropriations, manifested during the 15-minute session yesterday, that he will conduct one or two more budget hearings.*CGS BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO THE Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI), through its president Frank Carbon, has asked Acting Mayor Greg Gasataya to extend the deadline for the processing of business permits – from January 20 to February 15. Gasataya appealed to the City Council to act on the request, which Carbon made last week. The request is now pending with the council, the mayor said. Every year, the City grants the request of the business sector for an extension of the deadline for the filing of business permits. If the request of MBCCI is not acted upon by the council, that would be a first, Gasataya said. The City will start imposing penalties on taxpayers who fail to pay their taxes before January 20 and many businessmen will be affected, he said. Gasataya also appealed to the taxpayers to meet the January 20 deadline to avoid having to pay penalties and surcharges. Carbon said he would call up Gasataya and Acting Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran to follow up on the request. The extension would allow businessmen to avoid paying penalties and surcharges of about 25 percent, he said. By law, the City Council is currently unable to take up any other matters aside from the 2016 city budget until it is approved. Familiaran earlier sought the opinion of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in relation to Section 323 of the Local Government Code to find out if the City Council can take up other matters aside from the annual budget before this is approved. The City Council committee on finance will hold another hearing today on the P1.8 billion annual budget for 2016 before submitting its committee report to the City Council. In her letter to Familiaran dated January 11, Acting Bacolod DILG Director Cherryl Tacda cited the opinion of DILG Legal Service Director Jesus Duque IV dated January 24, 2013, that the City Council cannot take up other matters until the annual budget is approved. Familiaran said that during the regular session last Wednesday, there were 40 pending requests that the SP had to act on, including the request of MBCCI. Carbon, however, said MBCCI's request might only need executive action. "Since there is an ordinance covering the processing of business permits, perhaps what is only needed is an executive memorandum or circular, and a legislative action is no longer needed," he said. Carbon said that since the deadline is covered by a existing law, the mayor might be able to suspend the law, in effect granting an extension without passing through the City Council. By CARLA N. CANET Acting Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya is appealing to the Sangguniang Panlungsod to act on the request of the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry to extend the deadline for the filing of business permits from January 20 up to February 15. Gasataya said MBBCI president Frank Carbon had requested for an extension of the January 20 deadline for the filing and renewal of business permits for 2016 behalf of the business community. The request is now pending with the SP, he said. Every year, the city grants the request of the business sector for an extension of the deadline for the filing of business permits. If the request of MBCCI is not acted upon by the SP, this will be the first time such extension for the processing of business permit will not be granted, Gasataya said. The city will start imposing penalties on taxpayers who fail to pay their taxes before January 20 and many businessmen will be affected, he said. Gasataya is also appealing to taxpayers of Bacolod to pay their taxes before the January 20 deadline to avoid having to pay penalties and surcharges. Carbon said he will call up Gasataya and acting Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran today to follow up their request. They have requested for an extension of the deadline for application of payment of business permit for the first quarter to avoid paying penalties and surcharges of about 25 percent, he said. Familiaran had earlier sought the opinion of the Department of Interior and Local Government in relation to Section 323 of the Local Government Code to find out if the SP can take up other matters aside from the annual budget before this is approved. The SP Committee on Finance will hold another budget hearing today on the P1.8 billion annual budget for 2016 before submitting its committee report to the SP. In her letter to Familiaran dated January 11, acting Bacolod Interior and Local Government director Cherryl Tacda cited the opinion of DILG Secretary Jesus Duque dated January 24, 2013, that the SP cannot take up other matters until the annual budget is approved. Familiaran said that during the regular session Wednesday, there were 40 pending requests that the SP had to act on, including the request of MBCCI. Carbon said this might only need an executive action. Since there is an ordinance covering the processing of business permit, perhaps what is only needed is an executive memorandum or circular and that a legislative action is no longer needed. Since there is already a law, the mayor may suspend it. If he can suspend the law maybe he can grant the extension they are requesting for, he said.*CGS BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has told the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) that it cannot take up other concerns until they approved the 2016 budget. This opinion of DILG, which was enunciated by DILG-Bacolod Director Cherryl Tacda, was in answer to the January 11, 2016 letter of acting Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran asking if the SP can tackle other matters pending the approval of the proposed P1.8 billion 2016 General Fund budget. Councilor Claudio Jesus Raymundo “Kalaw” Puentevella, chairman of the SP Committee on Finance, still needs to conduct two more budget hearings before submitting his committee report for deliberation by the city council. Familiaran asked the opinion of the DILG-Bacolod director in relation to Section 323 (Failure to Enact the Annual Appropriations) of the Local Government Code of 1991, particularly with respect to its provision pertinent to the present problem with the approval of the 2016 annual budget. Section 323 states that “in case the Sanggunian concerned fails to pass the ordinance authorizing the annual appropriation at the beginning of the ensuing fiscal year, it shall continue to hold sessions without additional remuneration for its members until such ordinance is approved, and no other business may be taken up during such sessions.” Tacda explained that based on the legal opinion of DILG Director III Jesus Doque IV, Section 323 of the LGC needs no further explanation as it clearly states that “no other business may be taken up during the sessions if the SP fails to pass an ordinance authorizing the annual budget.” Familiaran, in his letter to the DILG, said he is worried over the city’s governmental function without the 2016 budget, as continuing delay of its approval will jeopardize urgent basic services for the people. As of January 13, 2016, Familiaran said the SP has recorded 40 requests pending for discussion by the city council./WDJ By Glazyl Jane Marie Y. Masculino |
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