15 schools dared to prove they’re non-profit institutions

The Mandaue City government challenged 15 private schools in Mandaue City to open their books to prove that they are non-stock and non-profit institutions.

Regal Oliva, officer-in-charge of the Mandaue City Treasurer’s Office, issued the challenge after he identified the schools as having no business permits and had failed to pay regulatory fees – such as garbage fees.

Oliva said the city government would soon send these schools demand letters which they had to answer in 15 days.

Then whatever their answer it would be referred to the City Legal Office.

The schools Oliva named are: Cebu Doctor’s University, University of Cebu –Lapu-Lapu- Mandaue (UCLM), Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu, St. Joseph Academy, St. Louis School of Mandaue, Colegio de la Inmaculada Concepcion, UV Gullas College (Mandaue Academy), Mt. Olive Christian Academy Inc, Assembly of God Christian School Inc., Child Learning Center, St. Genevieve Learning Center, Fatima Child Development Inc., Little Dominic Learning Center Inc., Maternelle Academy Inc., and Ibale Center for Academe Inc.

Lawyer Sonny Mercado, Cebu Doctor’s University counsel, said he wouldn’t comment on the issue until CDU would receive the demand letter from the city government.

Augusto Go, owner of UCLM, said that he would be willing to sit with the mayor and Oliva to discuss the issue.

Go said as far as he knows, schools are non-stock and non profit institutions.

Oliva, however, dared the schools to open their books to prove that they were non-stock and non-profit institutions.

He said the businesses without permits could sue them in court and let the court interpret.

The move of the city government on the 15 schools came after the City Treasurer’s Office also asked that the the Philippine Exhibits and Themeparks Corp. (Petco), which is running the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC), to pay the city business taxes.

Regal said since Petco was operating and managing the CICC and not the Cebu International Convention Center Management Board (CICCMB)then the firm should pay the taxes.

Regal said CICCMB had not been registered to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and so it had no legal personality.

However,  the joint venture agreement of the Province of Cebu and Mandaue City government for the CICC  exists.

“The local government and province of Cebu exists. It is a joint venture agreement to manage the CICC and we call it the Cebu International Convention Center Management Board. There’s a COA ruling dated July of last year that as of now since the management has not been registered to SEC, it does not have any legal personality,” Oliva said.

He said that the City Treasurer’s Office were starting to collect on big establishments like the CICC since it wouldn’t look good to just go after small scale businesses first. /Reporter Jucell Marie P. Cuyos