SP Forwards Request To Guv To Defer General Revision Implementation

SP Forwards Request To Guv To 

Defer General Revision Implementation

by ODON S. BANDIOLA

The Aklan SP Committee on Appropriations, Budget, Finance and Ways and Means chaired by SP Member Jose Enrique M. Miraflores (center, left photo) with SP Members Plaridel Morania and Nelson D. Santamaria conducting committee hearing on the request of Kalibo and New Washington LGUs to defer implementation of the 2015 General Revision of Real Properties base market values. 

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Aklan forwarded the request of local government units to defer the implementation of Provincial Tax Ordinance No. 001, S., 2014. The request includes the general revision of base market values of real properties in Aklan supposed to be effective starting 2015. 

The request is embodied in Kalibo Resolution No. 2014-173 and New Washington Resolution No. 2014-96. This includes barangay resolutions of the Liga ng mga Barangay of New Washington and Barangay New Buswang of Kalibo. 

All resolutions describe Provincial Tax Ordinance No. 001, S., 2014 as unconscionable, oppressive and confiscatory. Those resolutions requested Aklan SP to defer implementation or amend said ordinance so that it will not be burdensome to taxpayers who were recently hit by Super typhoon Yolanda.

Provincial Assessor Kokoy Soguilon and his staff repeatedly explained that the 2015 proposed general revision is just and reasonable considering that Aklan has not implemented any general revision of base market values of real properties since 2006. 

Soguilon further emphasized that midway in the process of enacting the tax ordinance and after a series of public hearings, the assessment level in the said tax measure had been reduced considerably to 14 percent, much lower than the 20 percent assessment level in 2006.

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan in plenary during its 29th Regular Session on August 27, 2014 maintained that the issue on deferment of implementation or amendment to the tax ordinance is no longer in the hands of the provincial legislative body. The chamber has to seek position of the executive on the said matter before the body can further act on the approved tax ordinance.

Thus, the chamber referred all resolutions of the oppositions, being led by New Washington Mayor Edgar R. Peralta, to Governor Florencio T. Miraflores so that through his Provincial Local Finance Committee, the request will be evaluated and the position of the executive department will be determined.

The SP emphasized that it has complied with all the procedural requirements prescribed by law in the passage of Provincial Tax Ordinance No.  001. It was filed by the executive in November 2013 and underwent a lengthy series of both committee and public hearings before its enactment on June 18, 2014, a good seven months of thorough study by the chamber. /MP