Difference between revisions of "Sorsogon Province, Philippines"

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Sorsogon Province, Philippines (view source)

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==[[Sorsogon News]]==
==[[Sorsogon News]]==
'''DOST intensifies monitoring of mudflow in Juban and Irosin, recommends intervention'''
'''Imposition of higher city realty tax, alarms landowners'''
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/?m=7&r=r05&id=72853
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/?m=7&r=r05&id=73315
*Tuesday, January 17, 2012
*Friday, January 20, 2012
:by  Irma A. Guhit
:by  PIA Press Release




SORSOGON CITY, Jan 17 (PIA) -- In the report tendered by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) provincial head here, Engr. Gerry Asuncion, he said that the several explosions of Mt. Bulusan have caused the deposit of enormous volume of ashes and other volcanic debris now compounded on the slopes of the volcano and gullys leading to the towns of Irosin and Juban causing mudflows.
SORSOGON CITY, Jan 20 (PIA) -- Landowners here in the city of Sorsogon are alarmed by the higher imposition of realty taxes that were implemented starting the first day of this year, 2012.
According to Asuncion, the heavy continuous rains in the province have induced these volcanic debris to flow towards the river system and its tributaries leading to the Cadac-an river that traverses the two towns.
According to most of these landowners, the imposition of higher taxes was enacted by the Sanggunian Panlalawigan in the Provincial Ordinance No 01-2011 last July 18, 2011 and once implemented this year, would mean a very high mark up in their payments.
All smaller river tributaries in these two municipalities are now heavily silted despite the dredging conducted by the Department of Public Works and Highways together with the engineering department of the provincial government.
Landowners are reacting and would like to request for a dialogue with the local officials since abaca, coconut, and other agricultural products do not provide high profit since there is little value added to these products; also, there is the issue of high cost of farm inputs.
Asuncion said that the DOST technical report says that the flooding and siltation will greatly affect the water supply of some barangays in Juban dependent on the rivers for household needs.
A total of 54 landowners who attended the committee hearing said that the increase seems to be high.
He said that their agency had come up with the river map of these areas for regular monitoring and have also installed a mechanism to find out the volume of mudflow, its increase, and its impact on these certain identified areas.
On top of this, homeowners have to pay the realty tax of their houses, which they consider as non-profit assets thereby making the payment of taxes for agricultural land and for their residences as exhorbitant.
With the heavy siltation of Cadac-an river, the barangays of Tampi, Taboc, Biriran, and Binanuahan in Juban have now become affected by floods.
The increase in the realty taxes range from 38 percent and above as compared to that of the previous rate of previous years.
The heavy downpour now overflows to these barangays causing floods and if not given immediate intervention, will create a greater problem in terms of water supply needs.
Sorsogon City councilor Nestor J. Baldon, author of the said ordinance, said that under the local government code of 1991, the city of Sorsogon is mandated to enact an ordinance providing for the fair market value of all real properties based now on its assessed fair market value.
Asuncion also explained that they are now devising a water filter out of clay that can be used to filter water and remove the particles of sand and silt to come up with clear water for immediate needs.
He also explained that since the city was established in 2000, it has implemented a tax moratorium, meaning that no increase in realty tax was implemented for the past 11 years.
He said that with the current situation specifically in these two towns, some highly flood-prone areas in Juban should be given attention especially in terms of clean and potable water supply, especially during emergencies.
He said that with the current market value of real property here in the city, there is also a need to upgrade the tax increase implementation to enhance the eroding tax base for realty taxes.
The water filter made out of clay can also be used to remove particles on water affected by the silting.
Baldon explained that the preparation of the tax revenue code is guided by the rules and regulations issued by the Department of Finance and that under the local government code, local government units has to undertake a general revision of property assessment once every three years.
“This water filter can be used for immediate needs in evacuation centers as part of DOST’s disaster risk reduction mechanism intervention to have access to clear water supply to people in evacuation centers affected by flooding or other calamities,” he said.
The city of Sorsogon is almost on its eleventh year and based on the Local Government Code it should have undergone a three time increase in taxes.
“Evacuation centers should be able to use alternative means to provide safe drinking water and this water filter made out of clay can be mass produced; what we need is funding so that areas affected by flooding can use these as a means to have clear water supply including for bath and toilet needs,” Asuncion explained.
The five-year grace period of tax moratorium has been made and according to councilor Baldon, the increase in realty taxes this year will also become an economic mechanism for development since the lifeblood of any local government is the generation of taxes. (MAL/IAG, PIA Sorsogon)
(PIA-Sorsogon)


==Photo Gallery of Sorsogon, Philippines==
==Photo Gallery of Sorsogon, Philippines==
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