NEWS BRIEFS

TRUCK OWNERS TOLD TO PAY TAXES

CHECKPOINTS will be set up at various points in the province to collect tax payments from owners of delivery and hauling trucks.

Provincial Chief Security Officer Loy Anthony Madrigal yesterday said they will start reminding truck drivers of the P550 annual fixed tax to be paid by their employers to the province.

“By Jan. 20, those who won’t be able to secure stickers, which prove that they already paid their annual tax, shall be penalized,” he said.

Those who paid their tax will be issued stickers by the province.

Madrigal said they will be accompanied by personnel from the Provincial Treasurer’s Office to accept payments from anyone who wants to settle their tax dues on the road.

Under the Revenue Code of Cebu of 2008, delivery and hauling trucks have to pay P550 as tax to the province within the first 20 days of January.

Anyone who violates this provision shall face a fine of P1,000 to P5,000 and/or imprisonment of betwen one to six months.

In a memorandum signed by Acting Provincial Treasurer Emmanuel Guial and Gov. Hilario Davide III, Madrigal was deputized to inspect, seize, and impound goods and delivery vehicles which fail to pay the annual tax. / Reporter Ador Vincent Mayol

DAVIDE RE-SHUFFLES AIDES

FOLLOWING the retirement of Provincial General Services Office (PGSO) Eva Encabo, Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III re-shuffled three of his aides.

Lawyer Ramil Abing, who used to be Davide’s chief of staff, was named Asst.  PGSO and assistant provincial administrator. Abing was replaced by lawyer Orvi Ortega who assumed as the governor’s new chief of staff.

Ortega keeps his post as provincial attorney. Lawyer Mark Tolentino also retains his position as provincial administrator but he was appointed acting PGSO head.

In an interview, Ortega said their new assignments started yesterday and will likely remain while there is no PGSO. / Reporter Ador Vincent Mayol

TEAM RAMA SLATE UPBEAT ON POLL CHANCES

TEAM Rama’s slate of barangay officials are optimistic about their chances in the elections for a new set of officers in the Barangay Councilors League of the Philippines (BCLP) Cebu City chapter.

In yesterday’s 888 News Forum barangay Camputhaw councilman Raymond Garcia said they have been campaigning in the city’s 80 barangays in the past few days.

In their personal count, Garcia claimed 400 votes among the BCLP’s 560 members.

Garcia, who’s running for the BCLP presidency, said he will focus on providing more benefits to barangay councilors including a P3,000 monthly incentive if he’s elected.

“The BCLP has not been giving them concrete benefits,” he said.

“A lot of constituents ask for financial assistance on their medicines from councilmen too. It’s a fair request knowing that the city gives allowances to prosecutors and judges amounting to P20,000 and P30,000.” he said.

He also promised to give barangay officials a choice on where and how to use their medical assistance from the Cebu City government under the City’s Hospitalization Assistance and Medicines Program (Champ).

Under Champ, a maximum of P25,000 can be given to each city resident for hospitalization which can be availed only at the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC).

“If I become president, I’ll talk with private hospitals like Chong Hua, Cebu Doc and enter a MOA with them for them to honor the city’s CHAMP program,” Garcia said.

Garcia will be running against former Cebu City and national BCLP president Franklyn Ong for the BCLP presidency. /Correspondent Jose Santino S. Bunachita