P1.5 M district health office inaugurated

Mayor Jerry P. Treñas and Vice-Mayor Jed Mabilog cut the ceremonial ribbon during the blessing and inauguration of the Iloilo City Social Hygiene Clinic and City Proper District Health Center located at Tanza, this city. With Treñas and Mabilog are city medical officer IV Mae Delmo, Tanza parish priest Fr. Diony Suyom, Councilor Lex Tupas and city health officer Urminico Baronda, Jr.
Mayor Jerry P. Treñas and Vice-Mayor
Jed Mabilog cut the ceremonial ribbon
during the blessing and inauguration of
the Iloilo City Social Hygiene Clinic and
City Proper District Health Center
located at Tanza, this city. With Treñas
and Mabilog are city medical officer
IV Mae Delmo, Tanza parish priest
Fr. Diony Suyom, Councilor Lex Tupas
and city health officer Urminico
Baronda, Jr.

A P1.5 million worth district health office cum Social Hygiene Clinic in Tanza, City Proper was inaugurated recently. The district health office will accommodate the medical needs of the nearby barangays.

Mayor Jerry Treñas said the edifice which was inaugurated Tuesday afternoon houses the Social Hygience Clinic and district health office.

There are 45 barangays in the City Proper. Among those barangays which are near to the district health office are Malipayon-Delgado, Tanza-Baybay; Bonifacio Tanza; Tanza Timawa I and Tanza Timawa II.

Treñas said residents from said barangays need not go to the City Health Office (CHO) for their medical check-up and other medical needs. The Social Hygiene Clinic, on the other hand, serves women who undergo tests such as pap smearing test.
Social Hygiene Clinic in Tanza, City Proper
Social Hygiene Clinic in Tanza,
City Proper

The construction of district health offices in the different parts of the city is undertaken by the city government to diffuse the number of people getting services from the CHO. The chief executive wants to build district health office in every district. The district of Mandurriao and Molo have their own health centers.

The city government is also eyeing to transform the old ABC building in Duran, City Proper into a district health office that could serve residents of the waterfront barangays.

8 signatories in complaint vs Mayor, police chief retract

By JOEL CAPUNDAN

ROXAS CITY – Eight signatories in the letter-complaint against Tapaz Mayor Rosemarie Gardose and Tapaz PNP chief Inspector Diomedes Cuadra have cleared the two of the serious allegations that they have committed abuse of power.

They claimed that the letter was caused to be signed by them in separate occasions by Lorenzo Gerardino, Brgy. Kagawad of Poblacion Tapaz, who during the signing of the same, neither gave them the opportunity to read the letter thoroughly nor explained to them the contents of the letter.

The one page joint affidavit was signed by Tomas Encarnacion, Zotico Guyod, Jr., Rustico Ambag, Jr., Madeline Gremio, Ma. Fe Ganit, Roger Sola, Doreern Gerardino and Rosalia Funtilon.

"What made us decide to sign the said letter without reading it was because of the assurance that the said letter was made purportedly for the good of the community," they said.

They also said that all imputations hurled at the present elective municipal officials in Tapaz, Capiz including the chief of police contained in the letter are all malicious and concocted lies and have no truth at all.

The controversial letter addressed to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and other provincial officials of Capiz allege that Gardose and Cuadra have committed abuses in Tapaz town.

They accused the two of conniving in perpetrating numerous unsolved killings in Tapaz, unduly and malicious imputing crimes against Poblacion barangay captain and killings inside the station among others.

It also accused Gardose of having 10 heavily armed bodyguards.

The letter was read by Board Member Rommel Lastimoso, chair of committee on peace and order and police matters, in last week's regular session.

Gardose vehemently denied the allegations contained in the letter.

"The people can attest to my good governance, since I serve this town with sincerity and utmost dedication," she said.

Gardose' husband former Vice Mayor Victor Gardose along with two others were gunned down months before the election of 2007. Her late husband was just declared his intention to run for mayor before he was killed.

The widow mayor decided to run as mayor after the death of her husband.

On his part, Cuadra also denied all allegations by saying that he is only doing his job of maintaining peace and order in the municipality. He also denied having sided or supported political figures in Tapaz.

Plaza Libertad is city's bet for Pretty Plaza tilt

Plaza Libertad is the city's bet for this year's "Pretty Plaza, Banwa Gwapa" project of the Metro Iloilo-Guimaras Economic Development Council (MIGEDC).

City Budget Officer and concurrent chair of the city's beautification program, Ninda Atinado said they have chosen Plaza Libertad after it underwent huge physical transformation to make it more attractive.

The presence of Dr. Jose Rizal's monument is an added fixture. Monuments of national heroes are usually placed in parks to remind the visitors of the freedom these heroes have fought for.

Atinado said the transformation of Plaza Libertad includes the improvement of the plumbing in the plaza's comfort stations, the installation of new tiles and other electrical works, and the restoration of the surrounding fences. The children's playground, basketball court, park benches and the plaza's herbal garden likewise underwent further improvements.

There will be evaluation today, Sept. 25, and another one in October also this year. The criteria for judging include cleanliness (25%), beautification (25%), safety and security (15%), and usefulness and sustainability (15%).

A cash prize of P30,000 awaits the grand winner while some P10,000 in consolation prizes will be given to non-winners.

The Pretty Plaza, Banwa Gwapa project started last year. It is aimed at giving recognition to the cleanest and most beautiful plaza among the seven local government units that comprise the MIGEDC, namely, the province of Guimaras, Iloilo City and the municipalities of Leganes, Oton, Pavia, San Miguel and Sta. Barbara.

Galanto defends imposition of VAT on sugar coops

By Bobby J. Mahadali
Bureau of Internal Revenue Regional Director Rodita Galanto (l-r, sitting, center) with Atty. Aynie Mandajoyan, Assistant Regional Director (1st) and Atty. Nennette Epon, BIR Legal officer during the Committee hearing at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan yesterday.
Bureau of Internal Revenue Regional
Director Rodita Galanto (l-r, sitting,
center) with Atty. Aynie Mandajoyan,
Assistant Regional Director (1st) and
Atty. Nennette Epon, BIR Legal officer
during the Committee hearing at the
Sangguniang Panlalawigan yesterday.

BACOLOD CITY -- Amid mounting protests from sugar industry players, Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Region 12 Regional Director Rodita Galanto explained in a hearing called by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan committee on agriculture that she merely performs her duty as a tax collector and not to quarrel with the sugar cooperatives.

Galanto with Atty. Aynie Mandajoyan, BIR Assistant Regional Director, and legal officer Atty. Nenette Epon bravely faced yesterday's hearing which was also attended by the sugar planters.

Galanto said that in less than a year of her appointment as BIR Regional Director, "I have been unjustly persecuted, wrongfully accused of several things, got death and bomb threats, and slammed via the media simply because I want to perform my duties as a tax collector which will in turn, benefit not only a few, but be enjoyed by all Negrenses."

"A year ago, when I was transferred here, I welcomed the idea of going back to my birthplace and be of service to my Kasimanwas. The first order of the day was for me to assess why RR-12 has fallen short of its collection at an average of almost P300 million a year in the last three years. Knowing all too well that the sugar industry propels the economy of this island, I focused my investigation on that sector and discovered that indeed, the law was not fully implemented or perhaps misinterpreted, allowing sugar cooperatives and other players of the industry to shortchange our government at an average of P500 million annually," Galanto said.

Galanto stressed that while it is true that under the law, cooperatives are exempted from taxes, this pertains to sale of raw sugar only but taxable on sale of refined sugar.

As per revenue regulation, P102 advanced Value Added Tax is imposed on a bag of refined sugar. With Negros producing an average of 5.1 million bags of refined sugar per year, this translates to more than P520 million of uncollected VAT on refined sugar annually.

Galanto added, "the cooperatives claimed that they are co-producers along with their members, but despite several attempts and negotiations with them, some continue to refuse to open their books to us and reveal the names of their members and buyers or their proof that they are indeed co-producers, so we can proceed to investigate the matter and find the party that will be properly taxed."

"I, along with my superiors and other colleagues at the Bureau, have exhausted all possible avenues to arrive at a win-win solution, and while I am happy to announce that most of our sugar cooperatives have signified their willingness to be transparent and start paying what is due to the government, there are some who continue to refuse," she said.

She went to assure small planter-members of cooperatives not to be afraid for they are actually exempt from taxation as "our taxation system was made in such a way that it is based on ability to pay."

"Our request is simple. If there is nothing to hide, show your books to BIR and submit the names of your refined sugar buyers. I challenged the cooperatives to be true to their mandate as well in protecting their members. We are not going after the small farmer-members. We urge you to submit the names of your members so we can register them and give then TIN. We also implore the cooperatives not to allow themselves to be used by big planters and sugar traders in escaping their obligation to pay appropriate taxes," she said.

"In the last ten years, the Bureau has failed to collect taxes on refined sugar from cooperatives. So be it. This time though, I have the obligation to keep. I will not be deterred by threats anymore. I am your Tax Collector and I vow to implement the full force of the law – not for me, not for the Bureau, but for the people of Negros," Galanto stressed.