Thoughtless Extravagance, Amusement Tax

by Mario Mata

16 of this Ford Everest SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle) were bought by the Provincial Government at P1.3 million apiece to be used by members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. Reports say they were bought without a bidding

Stadia in Dagupan City where Manila based artists usually hold their concert

Suddenly, Dagupenos have forgotten the nonfeasance of the City Council headed by Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez on the P543 million 2011 city budget that should have been deliberated and passed in October 16 last year as mandated by Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code.

Suddenly, Dagupenos ‘ attention have been drawn to the overpriced Lucky Me Noodle, evaporated milk, and sugar whose priced were copied by some members of the Bids & Award Committee from the previous  Mayor Al S. Fernandez administration.

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These brouhahas - complement by the deliberate fault finding investigation by the majority members in the Council- have politically hurt the administration of Mayor Benjie S. Lim.

But the Lim administration should not allow this set-back sitting down. It can investigate too the way the Vice Mayor and her family handle the tax payment of concerts and events held for the past years  at their family owned Stadia in Brgy. Lucao.

The Code mandates that the city levies a 30% tax from the gross receipts from the proprietors, lessees, or operators of theatres, cinemas, concert halls and others (Section 140).

Do the Fernandezes pay that amount religiously and honestly to the city government?

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Whether it is true or not, the procurement of the 16 Ford Everest’s SUVs (Sports Utility Vehicles) by the provincial government to the members of the Provincial Board has been seen as quid pro quo by the former to the latter.

The perceived backdoor deal  was the approval last December 10, 2010 of the valuation of the Real Property Tax that seen its prices skyrocket up to 300% average.

The spikes on commercial and agricultural lands all over Pangasinan angered Pangasinenses all over the province.

Some sectors would either rally or file a Temporary Restraining Order in Court soon to stop this heavy exaction from them.

A taxpayer who pays P1000 last year would be paying P3000 this year.

Economically this is good for the coffers of the provincial, municipal, and the barangay. But politically it would have a serious repercussion to politicians come election time.

Many members of the Board know this, thus they want to amend or defer its implementation.

The stocks of the Governor and the Vice Governor would be affected too by this tsunami of disgust.

But Board Member Alfie Bince is adamant. He wants it implemented as the province has not increase its valuation for the last nine years.

Is BM Bince a principled man? I don’t know. But what I know is he is serving his last term in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan .

It means he is insulated to the people’s anger come 2013 election.

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The 16 SUVs did not undergo a bid. My Taliban hao-shiao media friends (who satisfied themselves with P100 dole-out every time they visited the mostly stingy members of the Board every Friday at the SP in Lingayen) have told me.

The provincial government should have meticulously observed Section 371 of RA 7160.

It is a law on the Procurement from Exclusive Philippine Agents or Distributors. It says that procurement may, in the case of supplies of foreign origin, preferably be made directly from the exclusive or reputable Philippine distributors or agents, subject to the following conditions...

So you ask me now my friend, can a SUV made by Ford really exclusive?

There are SUVs that are made by Isuzu, Mitsubishi, Kia, Hyundai, etc. that can be bought for P900 thousand apiece instead of the Ford Everest that is priced at P1.3 million each. They are substantially the same quality.

Has the local government overlooked the exemption provided by Section 371 on Sub-Paragraph (b).  It states there that no suitable substitutes of substantially the same quality are available at lower prices.

In case they invoke that exemption, the province can save P400 thousand or P6.4 million for all the 16 SUVs.

That’s a huge amount to build more classrooms and medicines for the marginalized Pangalatoks.

What these leaders in Lingayen are doing is disgusting! Imagine, a thoughtless extravagance amidst the hardship being experienced by the people in the province?

 ((You can read my previous columns at http://dagupenosnews.blogspot.com/ or  contact me at mata_mario@yahoo.com.ph)