Garcia sets deadline for sand, gravel firms to comply with permits, taxes

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia denies rumors that she and her chief of staff tested positive for COVID-19 (CDN Digital FILE)

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu Provincial government has reminded firms involved in the processing and distribution of sand and gravel in Cebu province to abide by government mandates.

Otherwise, they may face sanctions from the Capitol.

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has told sand and gravel crushing plant operators and processors in Cebu province, during a meeting last October 14, that they have until October 28, 2020, to comply with the required tax payment and accreditation.

Failure to do so, Garcia, in a report by the Capitol-ran Sugbo News, said they would be facing a Cease and Desist Order (CDO).

RELATED STORY: Garcia: CDO covers only transport, selling of dolomite in local market

“Kamo, nag-negosyo man mo dinhi, kinahanglan sad nga duna mo’y tulubagon sa Probinsya kay dili man pud ni nako aku-on, di man ni nako i-sulod sa bulsa. I-translate man ni into services ug infrastructure,” said Garcia.

(As firms doing businesses here, you also have responsibilities for Cebu province. I will not claim any of your contributions as mine nor will I divert them for my own personal use. We will translate these into services and infrastructure.)

The governor was reminding operators of an existing provincial ordinance that imposes a 10 percent tax on ordinary stones, sand, gravel, earth, and other quarry resources extracted on public lands within the Province as well as the need to secure the governor’s accreditation.

Garcia also said other players in the province regulated by national government agencies, such as the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of Central Visayas (MGB – 7), are not exempted.

“Bisan pa og industrial permit na inyong gikuptan wa man nato gibutang diri nga kadtong mga crushing plants nga IP (industrial permit) ang gigunitan way labot, tanan man ni, walay exemption for as long as you are operating within the territorial jurisdiction of the Province of Cebu,” she stated.

(Even if you are holding an industrial permit (IP), our ordinance did not say crushing plants with IP are exempted. This applies to all. There is no exemption for as long as you are operating within the territorial jurisdiction of the Province of Cebu.)

RELATED STORY: Cebu BM wants MGB issuance of transport permit for dolomites shipment to Manila ‘condemned’

Sugbo News reported that under the amended Section 124 of the Revenue Code of Cebu, the Capitol collects tax equivalent to 10 percent of the local fair market value per cubic meter of all ordinary stones, sand, gravel, earth, and other quarry resources extracted on public lands within its territorial jurisdiction, including holders of permits, licenses, contracts or agreements issued by entities other than the Province of Cebu.

Projects

Garcia said taxes collected from sand and gravel operators would be used to fund infrastructure projects initiated by the provincial government.

She added that the Capitol was targeting to either construct new or rehabilitate provincial and barangay roads spanning up to a total of 650 kilometers this year.

“Daghan kaayo ta’g infrastructure projects. Mao na nga gi-ingnan nato ang treasurer nga i-maximize nato ang atong revenues, kinahanglan maningkamot ta nga masaka nato ang atong collection kay ubay-ubay ang gastuanan sa Probinsya,” she added.

(We have a lot of infrastructure projects. That is why we told the treasurer to maximize our revenues. We should work hard to increase our collection because the province has a lot of expenses to pay.)

The report also said collected taxes would also be used to fund the installation of water systems as well as other programs for the indigents, youth, women, senior citizens, students, barangay health workers, barangay tanods, day care workers, and barangay animal health aides.

/dbs