Mandaue City treasurer checks schools’ books

THE Mandaue City Treasurer’s Office is checking the books of at least six schools in Mandaue City to verify if they are really nonstock and nonprofit organizations and see if the city government can tax them.

These schools are the University of the Visayas, University of Cebu Lapu-Lapu, Cebu Doctors’ University, St. Louis School of Mandaue, Sacred Heart and Saint Joseph Academy.

City Treasurer Regal Oliva said yesterday even if a school was a nonstock and nonprofit organization, the city government could still collect proprietary engagement and regulatory fees.

Oliva said if the school’s income is earmarked for education expansion, then they are truly a nonstock and nonprofit school.

Meanwhile, Musoline Suliva, Mandaue City market administrator, refuted the findings of Consumers Rights and Economic Welfare (CREW), a consumer group that conducted a surprise inspection last Wednesday, that almost 35 percent of the stalls in Mandaue City’s market have tampered weighing scales.

Suliva explained that he immediately sent Ceasar Mercadal, assistant market administrator, to conduct his own inspection after learning of CREW’s finding.

Mercadal did not find tampered weighing scales. He added they conduct regular calibrations and they seal the weighing scale afterward.

But he recognized the possibility that the vendors may have adjusted their weighing scales, but this could be detected because of a broken seal.

Suliva added he welcomed the move of the CREW but expressed dismay that the group did not coordinate with his office.

He said they needed to be in the area during the inspection so they can correct irregularities observed by the group./Corresponent Norman V. Mendoza and REPORTER JUCELL MARIE P. CUYOS