P35-M Inabuso ni Calasiao Mayor Bauzon - Macanlalay

 By Mortz C. Ortigoza

CALASIAO - Mahigit P35 million ang inabuso ni Mayor Joseph Arman Bauzon na kung saan ang nasabing halaga ay napunta sana sa mga social services ng mga kapos sa buhay dito matapos magpagawa ang alkalde ng ikalawang slaughter house.

“Sino pasasalamatan dahil project namin, bakit hindi pinagamit?” tanong ni dating mayor Mark Roy Macanlalay sa hindi pagamit ng naunang P20 million na abattoir na pinatayo niya.

 Kalahati ng halaga nito ay counterpart fund pa galing sa National Meat Inspection Services (NMIS).

Ang mahigit P35 million slaughter house ni Bauzon ay pera ng mga taxpayers dito.

Ani Macanlalay kung ginamit ang Double A slaughter house na pinatayo niya noong mayor siya ng 2016 to 2018 ay lalong guguapo siya sa paningin ng mga tao at ayaw ito ng pamunuan ni Mayor Bauzon.

RIVAL - Calasiao, Pangasinan Mayor Joseph Bauzon (left) and his mayoral rival former mayor Mark Macanlalay.

“P35 million may road improvement pa. Ang pinagbilhan pa ng lupa iyong municipal agriculturist. Iyan ang tatanungin. Sino ba ang may ari ng lupa diyan?”

DPWH cites P3-B projects in Central Pangasinan

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

LINGAYEN – The chiefs of the two Engineering Offices of the Department of Public Works & Highway in Pangasinan cited the proceeds of the roughly PhP 3 billion infrastructure projects allocation this year intended for the three congressional districts of the province.

Pangasinan 4^th Engineering Office's District Engineer (DE) Simplicio Gonzales said that the PhP 1 billion allocated by Congress in the five towns and one city’s district whose office is based in Sta. Barbara town could spike as they will be widening highways and roads especially in Malasiqui town, flood control, and gabion at the Dagupan-Calasiao boundary where the Sinocalan River passes.

A gabion, according to Wikipidea, is a cage, cylinder, or box filled with rocks, concrete, or sometimes sand and soil for use in civil engineering, road building, military applications and landscaping.

He also cited that the new swanky two-story building where all his staff and personnel are now using it cost the government PhP30 million.

Pangasinan 2nd Engineering Office DE Edita Leano Manuel whose office is based in Lingayen town said that she was not certain about the exact amount of the appropriation this year by Congress for the 2nd and 3^rd Congressional Districts.

D.E - Pangasinan 2nd and 4th Engineering Offices District Engineers Edita Leano Manuel (left) and Simplicio Gonzales. 

But last year, she continued, the national government allocated almost two billion pesos for the two districts she covered.

Arroz Caldo, Drinks, Dancers, Gays, Power Mayoral Bet Rally

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – Unlike a typical electoral rally, the stump here by a candidate was a treat to spectators.

Hot sumptuous arroz caldo (chicken rice porridge) in cups and cold Zest-o mango and orange juice drinks meet them as they enter the area with gyrating and stomping dancers that ride on the beats of the loud music from a huge sound systems and gays cat walking in an imagined runway for models and shouting with their lungs out their favored candidates to the amused crowd.

POPULAR - Congressman and Lingayen mayoral candidate Leopoldo Bataoil, a former three-star police general, is flanked by OFW Family Partylist second nominee Roy M.Señeres, Jr. (extreme left) and Lingayen Vice Mayor Teng Tapia who is running for a seat in the town's legislative council under the slate of Bataoil. Photo was taken before the start of the stump recently of the solon at Barangay Domalandan, capital town Lingayen in Pangasinan. Because of the popularity of Bataoil various party list groups like Tinderong Pinoy, 1 Pacman and others piggyback on him. 

This hoopla that started at seven o’clock in the evening was part of the mayoral bid in this capital town of exiting congressman Leopoldo Bataoil.

When asked if he served hot arroz caldo when he courted the votes of his constituents in his almost nine years stint as representative in the eight towns' 2nd Congressional District, his loud retort to this writer amidst the earsplitting music emanating from the two giant sound systems nearby:

“Dito lang, dito lang ha ha ha pa arroz caldo ko! Walang ganoon sa congressional!”

Bataoil is challenging the perennial dominion of Mayor Josefina “Iday” Castaneda in a post governed by her and her late husband Jonas for more than two decades.

Although he needs to win the alliances of the 32 village chiefs compared to the herculean jobs of winning the hearts and minds of the eight town mayors, the 231 barangays chairmen, and the more than 300,000 voters in the congressional district, the former three-star police general said he has still to network with other leaders since most of the village chiefs here are allied with the lady mayor.

HOT arroz caldo (chicken rice porridge) and cold tetra pack drinks flow freely for the crowd to consume in the rally of exiting congressman and mayoral bet Pol Bataoil.

“Dito ngayon you have to deal at your own. I deal with 32 barangays. Kung hindi mo kakampi iyong barangay captain although they are supposed to be apolitical you will know their inclination. So kung hindi mo kakampi, you have to look for somebody else to help you”.

With second power plant, Sual may become richest town in the country

SUAL, Pangasinan – Officials here led by Mayor Roberto Arcinue are optimistic that this fast-growing town would likely pole vault to the top spot in the list of richest municipalities if the plan to put up another power plant  pushes through.

Based on the latest Commission on Audit's Annual Financial Report on LGUs, the municipality of Sual maintained its position as the second richest municipality in the country with assets amounting to P2.529 billion.

 

On top of the list is the town of Cainta, Rizal with P3.98 billion.

Only Sual - among Pangasinan’s 44 municipalities – made it to COA’s top ten richest towns, besting such other first class towns as the capital town of Lingayen, Bayambang, Mangaldan, Malasiqui, Binmaley, and Calasiao.

“The people of Sual, indeed, happily welcome this good news and we are confident that we might be able to go up even to the number one spot if the plan to put up another power plant in our town hopefully becomes a reality,” Mayor Arcinue told reporters.

Belen Should Watch the Stunts of Brian

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

With roughly 3,000 lead votes by Dagupan City Mayor Belen T. Fernandez against mayoral rival and Vice Mayor Brian Lim in the recent scientific poll, the former and her supporters should guard themselves on the surprises the latter can pull as the May 13, 2019 election approaches.

Then re-elective Bonuan Gueset Barangay Chairman Angel Gumarang lost to challenger and come backing kapitan candidate Rico Mejia when then Dagupan City Mayor Benjie S. Lim struck out a drama that saw the reelective village chief, with all the resources of the huge village at his disposal, lost to Mejia.

Gumarang told us media men then that he could not do his hustings effectively to the various sitios of the biggest village in the city, mind you guys its population bigger than those fourth class towns, because the police through the order of Lim watched him and his men closely.

PERENNIAL RIVAL - Reelective Dagupan City Mayor Belen T. Fernandez (above photo, clockwise) and former Mayor Benjie S. Lim and his son  Vice Mayor Brian.  The younger Lim and Fernandez  are rival for the  May 13, 2019  mayorship election. The families of Fernandez and Lim are old political and business rivals. They, all Chinese descent, are the regional tycoons because of their chains of malls in Central and Northern Luzon. (Photos grab from the internet except the first picture).

He even suspected that his driver was bribed by the other camp to incriminate him and change the momentum of his campaign strategies.

 “Kap, pagasulinahan natin ito mamaya. Problema pa natin iyan baka maubusan tayo ng gasolina pag umikot tayo,” the driver told him in the eve of the October 25, 2010 barangay election.

He said another two of his unwitting aides accompanied the driver.

Firearms "Planted" by the Police

After the clock hit midnight, the car was cruising to the gasoline station in the village but was immediately flagged down by policemen manning a newly installed check point.

The trio was ordered to disembark and frisk by the cops while their vehicle was searched and was found out to have automatic assault rifles without license.

 At 2 o’clock in the following early morning he and his lawyer were at the police station arguing with the chief of police that the guns were “planted” where the police could not even produce, son of a gun, the weapons.

But it was not the concern of the police and probably the mayor and his rival. What was in their mind was the hype and brouhaha the apprehension of his men and the seizure of the imagined guns could be a sensational news in that day’s prime time television and radio stations.

What aggravated the destruction of his integrity and the plunged of his popularity before the voters go to the polls was the series of pronouncements of the Election Officer of the Commission on Election to the media that he was already damaged and would be subjected to criminal charges and jail time even if he wins the election.

“Masakit. Ang Election Officer interviewed at the behest of the mayor. He said mabigat itong kaso ni Kapitan Gumarang kahit na manalo siya, paulit ulit pang sinabi iyon, hindi rin siya makakatapos dahil pa file din siya ng kaso,” he recalled.

He lost 500 votes among the 8,000 voters of the village to the come backing kapitan, thanks to the astute interference of the mayor.

He cited to us the reason of the determined intervention of the mayor: Lim smarted when he shifted his loyalty from him to Al Fernandez when the latter regained his mayoral post in 2007.

Lim was mayor of Dagupan in 2001 to 2007 and 2010 to 2013 after beating Fernandez in the 2010 election where voters saw his chutzpah how to defeat the seasoned politico Fernandez who had 12 years experienced as hizzoner (psst, it means HisHonortheMayor).

2010 Election: Benjie versus Al

When Lim challenged re-elective Mayor Al Fernandez in 2010 poll. I joined many of the stumps of the latter and his allies like congressional candidate Gina de Venecia, and Fernandez’s ticket lead by then vice mayoral bet Belen T. Fernandez, a powerful trader like Lim, and slate for the legislature.

I saw the miniscule crowd that attended the rally of Lim unlike the huge spectators that attended the stumps of Fernandez.

This was due probably to the intercession of the mayor for his kapitans who brought a huge number of people not to mention the supporters of the De Venecias and the bets for the city councilors whose surnames were identified with the old influential families in the city.
I though Al could handily defeat Benjie until the Murphy's Law came.

Until eight days before the May 10, 2010 Election, the wife of City Administrator Alvin Fernandez, the son of the candidate, and her supporters who were mostly women crossed path with the throng of Lim’s son Brian, his body guards, and supporters during their house-to-house visitation in Barangay Bolosan.

“Nang isang sasakyan ang namataang mabilis na nakasunod sa grupo at bigla na lamang siyang makarinig ng sigaw na “I-secure si Mam” kasunod pa ang pahayag na “takbo Mam, takbo Mam!” at nang lumingon siya mula sa likod ay may nakitang mga kalalakihang may bitbit na baril.

Sa takot para sa kanilang buhay at pagkataranta ay agad na tumakbo at nagtago si Ginang Fernandez kasama ang ilang kagawad at tanod ng lugar sa isang bahay roon,”an excerpt of a news in our newspaper Northern Watch.

Katherine, wife of Alvin, frantically called him through her mobile phone about Lim and his alleged armed company who chased them.

An angry Alvin Ferdnandez called the police where together they jumped off to the village and confronted Lim and his group. Through the threat of their firearms, as based on the narration of witnesses, ordered Lim and company to lie in a prone position.

Lim and company reported the threat, coercion, and manhandling to the police on that day. The group of Fernandez complained also on the same date about Lim’s false accusation and instead reported to the police of their harassment to Katherine and company.  

Both camps filled criminal cases with each other at the prosecutor’s office.

 In that May 2 incident, a livid Benjie Lim rushed to the office of then Chief of Police Lt. Colonel Sonny Verzosa about the assault by the Fernandez group to his son who was hit from the barrel of an Armalite rifle allegedly swung by Fernandez’s body guard Ador Malapit.

 Later television footage from the two regional TV networks based in the city showed Brian displayed to all and sundry the hematoma inflicted by the barrel. The people in and out of the city were shocked and scandalized by the brutality of the Fernandez group.

Alpatuan Fernandez and Ampatuans of Maguindanao 

“Alpatuan in Dagupan,” Mayor Lim and supporters cried, during their acrimonious march and intense rally complete with placards at the city plaza to compare Al Fernandez to the dreaded Ampatuan Clan of Maguindanao who just massacred 53 persons that included 34 reporters where they hurriedly buried through the use of a backhoe to cover the corpus delicti that would incriminate them for life sentences.

The mob of Lim also asked for the relief of Lt. Colonel Verzosa. Verzosa’s PMA classmate Police Provincial Director Colonel Percival Barba promptly relieved 11 SWAT men and policemen because of that hullabaloo after his initial investigation showed they did not lift a finger when Fernandez and company harassed the Lim’s group.

Until today, many people in Dagupan considered the marks on the body of the teary eyed Brian as shown at the boob tubes as for show to win the sympathy of the voters that should be voting for Al Fernandez.

 “Those were not hematoma those were ventosa,” similar quips by some people like Regional Examiner Editor Edwin Tandoc I heard and read at social media Facebook.

 Ventosa or cupping therapy is an ancient form of alternative medicine in which a therapist puts special cups on one’s skin for a few minutes to create suction.

But it was too late for De Venecia’s P.R woman Gypsy Baldovino to damage control the drama thrown like a bakis, er, monkey wrench by the Lims at the midst that flustered Al Fernandez and his son Alvin as they braced for the home stretch for the moment of reckoning of the Who’s Who in the mayorship of Dagupan City.

To cut the chase, Lim battered Al with 37,601  versus  34,443 votes or a lead votes of 3,158, Belen T. Fernandez became a vice mayor by thrashing out Danilo “Pakoy” Torio with 46,755 votes against his  12,890 votes, Ador was murdered by balaclava wearing gun men who ambushed him inside his vehicle with a military precision at Barangay San Miguel, Calasiao, Alvin Fernandez, a congressional bet now, reportedly hid in Tarlac to avoid the wrath of the Lims, Benjie Lim suffered a stroke at the eve of the 2013 mayorship poll versus Belen Fernandez who defeated him with more than 3000 votes, Lim died early this year, and Alvin and his brother Alfie did not only become allies of Brian Lim but Alfie became the vice mayoral bet of the former.

Salamabit, these were the roller coaster rides, the irony, the hilarity, and the skulduggery of Dagupan City’s politics and Mayor Belen should watch the lurking stunts that will be pulled up by Brian if the latter mulls to emulate the shrewdness of his father.

(You can read my selected columns at http://mortzortigoza.blogspot.com and articles at Pangasinan News Aro. You can send comments too at totomortz@yahoo.com) 

Pangalawang power plant malaking tulong sa bansa

               Ang pagpapatayo ng pangalawang coal-fired power plant sa bayan ng Sual, Pangasinan ay naa-ayon sa development program ng Pangulong Duterte.

Ito ang iginiit ni Mayor Roberto Bing Arcinue matapos mabalitaan na handang mamuhunan ang ilang malalaking negosyante sa Pilipinas mula sa China, South Korea, USA, Japan at ibang pang dako ng mundo.

COAL POWER PLANT

Sa kanyang pagbisita sa China noong nakaraang taon, ibinalita ng Pangulo na meron sampong Chinese companies ang mag-invest sa Pilipinas na nagkakahalaga ng humigit-kumulang sa nine billion US dollars o 467 billion pesos.

Dahil sa inaasahang pagdagsa ng mga investors, lubhang kinakailangan ang sapat na supply ng kuryente sa mas mababang halaga, ayon kay Mayor Arcinue na isa ring negosyante.

“Mahirapan ang ating ekonomiya na mapabilis ang paglago nito kung unstable ang power supply at napakamahal pa,” dagdag ng alkalde.

Ang singil sa kuryente sa Pilipinas ay pangatlo sa pinakamataas sa Asia at pang-labing anim sa buong mundo, ayon sa survey na isinagawa ng International Energy Consultants (IEC).

Ang isang malaking dahilan ay ang mababang power generation capacity, ayon pa sa naturang survey.

Naniniwala si Mayor Arcinue na ang lunas sa mataas na singil sa kuryente ay ang pagpapatayo ng karagdagang coal-fired power plant upang magkaroon ng sapat na supply at maiwasan na rin ang madalas na power interruption.

How Some Mayors Create Economics Opportunities to People

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

Major news magazines and newspapers printed in Imperial Manila have news about the newly acknowledged Guinness World Record’s tallest steel framed and engineered bamboo panels’ Saint Vincent Ferrer statue in Bayambang, Pangasinan.

Their news features jibe with the Holy Week as Filipinos went to their provinces and spend the long religious holidays and weekends there.

I will not talk about religion here since I’m not competent about it. The only verses in the Bible I could memorize is John 3:16 and the other one whenever I quaffed a half  glass alcohol contained 80 proof 750 ml Tanduay and White Castle in high school and college's “Verseculo Baso Kapitulo E.S.Q“.

E.S.Q is Extra Smooth Quality as come - on by Tanduay to young but poor drinkers like me.

I’m going to talk about the economics opportunity for the people created by local government units like the town of Bayambang to attract tourists to visit the historic town. The town was  5th Capital of the Revolutionary Philippine Republic during the Filipino – American War in 1899.

Last week I wrote about Bayambang under the administration of business tycoon and Mayor Cezar T. Quiambao as one of the top four richest first class towns in the 44 towns and four cities’ Pangasinan.

TALLEST - The Guinness World Record’s 50.23-meters Saint Vincent Ferrer statue at Barangay Bani, Bayambang in Pangasinan framed with steel and embellished with engineered bamboo panels is taller than the Statue of Liberty in the United States of America. Foreground is Bayambang Billionaire Mayor Cezar T. Quiambao and wife actress Mary Clare Judith Phyllis “Niña” Jose-Quiambao. Mrs. Quiambao brainchild the tallest statue. The couple spent the construction of the PhP250 million Saint Vincent Ferrer from their personal funds. PHOTO CREDIT: MARIA CLARA

“Parang Hayop na Tinapon sa Morgue ang Tatay Namin”

                    Corpse Brod of a Mayor, Prominent Doc

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

 LINGAYEN – “Parang hayop lang na tinapon sa morgue ang tatay namin!” cried by the daughter of the deceased how the officials of the provincial government’s run hospital here treated the remains of her father.

                    The remains of Edgardo Arenas at the morgue of the Community Hospital in Lingayen, Pangasinan.

According to Angelie Arenas, the daughter of the late Edgardo Arenas,70, that she, her mother and the brothers of her father Labrador Mayor Dominador V. Arenas and Dagupan City’s based Specialist Group Hospital & Trauma Center controlling owner Doctor Carlito Arenas were up in arms on the “inhumane” treatment of the officers of the community hospital here on how they dealt with the cadaver that was thrown like a dead animal on the morgue’s table.

“My father was over ran by a cargo truck full of bamboo at 5 Pm and was brought and pronounced dead at the community hospital. The secretary of Barangay Polong, Bugallon informed us on the death of my father the following day. When we were at the morgue we saw our father lying prostrate with his arms stiffly raised, his head facing south because the neck was broken, some intestines bellied out, and he was shrouded with smelly blood that already dried up”.

 The smarting medical doctor daughter of Dr. Arenas lamented how the lousy government hospital treated her uncle.

“They should have cleaned him up and covered him with sheet”. Even dead dogs were even covered by something,” she cited.

 Resolution to file a criminal cases of Reckless Imprudence Resulting in Homicide and Damage to Property was made by the provincial prosecutor based here.

After evaluating the criminal complaint of Deborah, the wife of the victim, Prosecutor Magin Nino Orlino said that respondent Arnel L. Albendo, driver of the Fuso Fighter Cargo Truck, was being detained at the Bugallon Police Station since April 12, 2019.

Prosecutor Orlino cited April 12, 2019 as the fateful day when the truck driven by Abendo bumped Arenas from behind who was driving an SYM motorcycle bound to Labrador town.

“Arenas lost control of his vehicle when he fell on the pavement. The truck overran his prostrate body that cause his tragic death,” Orlino wrote on the resolution where he cited that the offender should pay a bail of Fifty Thousand Pesos for his temporary liberty.

                             WARNING: GRAPHIC PHOTOS OF ARENAS BELOW

Second Sual power plant to push through - Arcinue

SUAL, Pangasinan- Mayor Roberto  Ll. Arcinue told newsmen on Monday that discussion on the construction of a second coal-fired power plant in this first-class municipality is now in full swing, adding that construction might start before yearend.

The mayor made the disclosure after former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile called on the Duterte administration to act fast to address a looming energy crisis.

Enrile said the country’s energy situation might worsen as demand would increase with the government’s ‘Build, Build, Build’ Program.

A coal power plant in Sual, Pangasinan.

            “We do not have any source of hydrocarbon energy in the country except Malampaya. If a war happens in Russia or in the Middle East or in Africa or in Latin America that will affect the supply of crude, what do you think will happen here? In one week’s time, we will not have enough supply of power,” Enrile said.

He said chaos would likely to happen as prices of foods and other basic commodities would skyrocket as cost of production spikes up.

Mahigit P22 - M Aid ni Mayor Bona

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

Mahigit 22 milyong pesos ang naipamahagi ng administrasyon ni Mayor Bonafe D. Parayno sa social at livelihood programs sa mga constituents niya dito sa thriving town noong nakaraang taon lamang.

Ani ng reelective mayor ang mga sustainable livelihood programs na pinabigay niya para sa Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino (PPP) beneficiaries ay P1.15 million bigas na may 123 beneficiaries, P3.26 million sa goat raising na may 163 beneficiaries, P520 thousand sa cattle fattening na may 26 beneficiaries, at P60 thousand sa hog raising na may 30 beneficiaries.

RICH TOWN - Mangaldan Mayor Bonafe D. Parayno speaks before the multitude about the good things she had done to the town. Mangaldan under Parayno became one of the richest Top - 4 first class towns in Pangasinan. It has PhP312.5 million annual appropriation budget this year besting most of the 44 towns in the province. She cited one factors for the progress like the daily market day in the municipality unlike other towns that have once or twice market day a week.

“Ang walang sawang financial assistance para sa ating mga individuals in crisis situation ay umabot na sa halagang 3 million pesos,” aniya.

Dagdag pa ni Mayor Parayno ang mga Senior Citizen na tinuturing niyang mga  magulang ay nabiyayaan din ng P6 million social pension cash payout.

SOUTHERN BARANGAYS ARE NEW GILON-GILON CHAMPS

DAGUPAN CITY – The southern barangays clustered as one emerged as the new champions in this year’s ‘Gilon-Gilon ed Baley’ street dancing competitions held at the city plaza and along the city’s main thoroughfares on April 12.

This after besting five other barangay clusters during the grand showdown of street dancers which formally opened the month-long  2019  Bangus Festival this April.

The barangays that comprised Cluster 4 are Caranglaan, Bacayao Norte, Bacayao Sur, Mayombo and Herrero-Perez.

019 GILON-GILON CHAMPION . Members of Barangay Cluster 4 strike a victory pose after their passionate performance of telling the story behind ‘Gilon’ earns them the championship title in this year’s ‘Gilon-Gilon ed Baley’ street dancing competition. Cluster 4, composed of Caranglaan, Bacayao Norte, Bacayao Sur, Mayombo and Herrero-Perez, received the grand prize of P200,000, plus another P20,000 after being chosen as Best in Street Dancing. Barangay Captain Teresa Coquia of Cluster Leader Caranglaan, received the prizes from Mayor Belen T. Fernandez, 2019 Bangus Festival Executive Chairman Councilor Alvin Coquia, Vice Chairman Councilor Marvin Fabia and Event Chairperson Councilor Maybelyn Dela Cruz-Fernandez. (CIO photos by Jojo Tamayo and Arriz Fruelda)

Barangay Captain Teresa Coquia of Cluster Leader Caranglaan said they bested other clusters because their street dancers focused on telling the story behind ‘Gilon’.

“We chose to focus on the efforts and sacrifices made by our fishermen so that they could provide for the future of the children. That’s why we told the story of a fisherman’s son graduating because that’s what our parents and families here strive for, “  added Coquia.

For their passionate performance that earned the nod of the board of judges, Cluster 4 received the grand prize of P200,000 as well as the Best in Street Dancing award of P20,000 for a total of P220,000.

Cluster 6, composed of barangays Bonuan Boquig, Bonuan Binloc, and Bonuan Gueset, is this year’s 1^st runner-up after delivering an impressive performance despite the rain that poured while they were performing.

Penalties for taxpayer who filed ITR beyond deadline - Taxman

By Mortz C. Ortigoza 

CALASIAO – Despite the decline of the numbers of taxpayers who beat the deadline for the filling of their income tax return (ITR), the chief of the Bureau of Internal Revenue in central Pangasinan cites the penalties a person incurred if he files beyond the April 15 deadline.

Revenue District Office-4 Chief Ernesto Mangabat enumerated that a taxpayer pays a 25 percent surcharge, 12 percent interest, and a compromise fine.

“One time lang iyang 25 percent. Pero iyang interest lumalakad 12 percent per annum,” Mangabat, who assumed his position here late last year, referred to the penalties in the National Internal Revenue Code.

He said that tardy taxpayers learned the hefty priced consequences thus they are prompted to pay earlier.

TAXMAN - Revenue District Office-4 Chief Ernesto Mangabat (right) after being interviewed by the author at his office in Calasiao, Pangasinan. Mangabat oversees the herculean job in the collection of PhP6.1 billion tax target this year for the Bureau of Internal Revenue in the two cities 14 towns' central Pangasinan. 

“Kaya nga ang sinasabi natin avoid. Kasi nagiging kumplikado ang pina - file natin kung minsan saka last day sasabihin nila bakit kami mag mumulta, nandito naman kami. Alam natin na pag ganoong deadline rush hour and even our online system  kapag ganoon at lahat ay nagdadagsaan e siyempre may tendency na iyong line natin ay mas mabagal na,” he stressed in Filipino.

He advice that filing a week or a month before the deadline for the Income Tax Return (ITR) in April 15 could avoid the hassles of a long queue and by filing a wrong information on their BIR forms.

With a PhP 6.1 billion  goal given to him by the national office in the two cities and 14 towns’ central Pangasinan revenue district until the end of this year, it was a tall order, according to Mangabat, after the the Large Tax Payers’ office in Quezon City took from the RDOs all over the country the collection of the contractors' withholding taxes under the Department of Public Works & Highway and the exception of PhP250, 000 a year for an individual taxpayer.

He deplored that the proceed of the taxes from the Train Law will also go to the national government and not to the RDOs.

Train Law or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion imposes higher taxes on cars, fuel, tobacco, cosmetic surgery, tobacco, and some sweetened beverages.

“Well tall order talaga. But with the help of the media like you and the taxpayers I am sure sana makuha namin. Ngayon pa lang nagka- campaign na kami para naman at least malaman  namin ng mga kababayan natin at taxpayers at least nag mag tulungan tayo to hit that target,” he cited.

As his strategy with his staff here to spike the collection, he targets the unregistered businesses and dishonest taxpayers in Pangasinan who did not declare their correct taxes to the BIR.

TOP BRASS - Four provinces' Region - 1 Bureau of Internal Revenue Regional Director Thelma S. Milabao being interviewed by Northern Watch Newspaper at her office in Calasiao, Pangasinan.

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