Real Property Taxes in Pangasinan, Philippines

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) has extended for another six months or up to June 30, 2012 the period of condonation of interests, penalties and surcharges on unpaid realty taxes within the province of Pangasinan.

This was provided for by an ordinance proposed by Board Member Von Mark Mendoza when the one-year condonation as per Ordinance No 152-2011 approved by the SP from May last year expired last December 2011.

Board Member Mendoza said the extension was on account of the numerous appeals from taxpayers who failed to avail off the condonation when this was first offered.

Mendoza said the extension was made in order to accommodate those who failed to meet the Dec. 31, 2011 deadline.

It was Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. who asked the SP to enact Ordinance No. 152-1011 condoning interests, penalties and surcharges on unpaid real property taxes, responding to the earlier call of taxpayers for certain relief.

That ordinance was intended to help mitigate the payment of real property taxes based on another ordinance prescribing a scheme of payment of real property tax based on staggered implementation.

Records showed that when the condonation was offered from May to December last year, some landowners were not able to pay within the period.

Corollary to this, Provincial Assessor Nestor Quiambao, said that although some municipalities have not yet remitted their collection on realty taxes, tax collection in Pangasinan has registered an increase of P269 million in 2011 as a result of the implementation of the condonation on unpaid realty taxes.

Filipina Sentenced to 52 Years in Prison for a Crime

A former employee of a travel agency in Dumaguete City was sentenced to suffer a total of 52 years imprisonment after she was found guilty beyond reasonable doubt for three counts of qualified theft lodged before the Regional Trial Court Branch 34 in Negros Oriental.

RTC Branch 34 Judge Rosendo Bandal, Jr. identified the accused as Cherie Mae Catan-Hipe, who was accused of pocketing more than P100,000 in cash in three different transactions of Eight Wonders Travel and Tours Inc, owned by Elsie Lee of Super Lee Plaza.

Court records show that Hipe, with grave abuse of confidence, with intent of gain and without the consent of the owner, took P31,109.00, which was paid by one Davida Manugas, a client of Eight Wonders Travel and Tours Inc. to apply for her Philippie Airlines ticket for a one-way flight from Manila to San Francisco, California in the United States of America.

A certain Geates Hay Picken also paid P51,712.50 to apply for his Qatar Airways ticket for a round trip flight from Cebu to Doha to Manchester to Doha to Cebu and the third client, Tony Casling paid P23,850.00 to apply for his Cathay Pacific Airways for a one-way flight from Cebu to Hong Kong to Auckland, New Zealand, all to the damage and prejudice of the travel agency.

In a 14-page decision, Judge Bandal imposed a total of 52 years imprisonment for Hipe, ordered her to restitute to Eight Wonders Travel and Tours Inc. the total amount of money she pocketed and to pay P20,000 in exemplary damages and another P20,000 in moral damages.

Rep. Jocelyn Limkaichong for Governor in Negros Oriental

Rep. Jocelyn Limkaichong of the 1st district of Negros Oriental has reiterated her intention to run for governor of Negros Oriental in the forthcoming local and national elections in 2013.

On a scale of 1 to 10, Rep. Limkaichong rated the probability of herself running for governor in 2013 at 8, which means that she is almost sure of challenging incumbent Governor Roel Degamo and former Finance Secretary Margarito Teves.

In an interview, Limkaichong confirmed that she is considering Mark Macias as her probable vice gubernatorial tandem.

The first district solon believes that Macias, son of the late Gov. Emilio Macias II, has the competence, integrity and sincerity, among other qualifications, in running the affairs of the Provincial Board.

Limkaichong said everything is running smoothly in her sorties all over the province together with Macias and that the people are very receptive of their tandem.

However, a lot of things can still happen from today up to the filing period for candidacies, adding that Macias can also run as Board Member.

In Dumaguete City, Limkaichong said she maintains good relationships with Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria, who is a member of the Nationalist People's Coalition but considered an ally of the Liberal Party to which she belongs.- PNA

Cast Away at Apo Island, Negros Oriental Philippines

A man who set out to sea in a styrofoam box last week was rescued on Monday off Apo Island in Dauin, Negros Oriental after strong ocean currents carried him away from his intended destination, the province of Cebu.

The man, who identified himself as Reynaldo Roque, 31, married, of San Isidro, Leyte, had left Sitio Canday-ong in Barangay Calindagan here likely several days after he was rescued on MOnday. He seemed to be not in his right state of mind when interviewed by police investigators, said SPO4 Joel Alcala, deputy police chief of Dauin.

Alcala said Bantay Dagat personnel in Apo Island found Roque adrift in a styrofoam box on Monday dawn and rushed him ashore. He was turned over to a police personnel assigned at Apo Island, who, in turn, brought him to the Dauin police station.

Roque was mostly incoherent during police investigation, but despite his perceived mental illness, Alcala said the man disclosed that he was wandering around Dumaguete for awhile, sleeping at parks and scrounging for food to survive. Sometimes he would go for days without food, he further claimed.

Before that, he found his way to Mabinay town, about two hours drive north of this capital, but was also made to ride a passenger bus back to Dumaguete.

The man also claimed he wanted to go to Cebu, where he has a cousin, to seek employment but that he did not have fare money.

Fire in Iloilo, Philippines Eats 190 Homes

Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog here is eyeing the purchase by the city of the 1.8-hectare lot in Barangay Tanza Esperanza, site of last Sunday's big conflagration that razed down 190 houses and partially burned 10 more.

Mabilog said he is seeking to reach the lot owner, reportedly the Bedaña family to offer and purchase the lot so that the city government could start implementing site development in the area including a major roadway.

The fire in Tanza Esperanza razed to the ground some 80 percent of the houses, affecting 227 families and 1,140 persons. Neighbor barangays Tanza Timawa Zone 2 posted 27 totally burned and eight partially burned houses while Barangay Malipayon suffered 62 totally burned and four partially burned houses.

The city government is maintaining several relocation sites for the informal settlers taken out from the riverbanks and other danger zones. The bulk of relocated families are currently at the San Isidro relocation site in Jaro district, this city.