BIR in Bicol reminds taxpayers to settle their dues before the April 15 deadline

LEGAZPI CITY, Apr. 7 (PIA) – The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) regional office here has reminded anew the tax-paying public to settle their taxes as early as today with the April 15 deadline nears.

Atty. Diosdado Mendoza, BIR Bicol regional director said taxpayers should not wait for the deadline to pay their taxes, but rather settle them as early as possible to avoid the long queue and of paying penalties.

Mendoza said they can go to any BIR district or provincial revenue offices and other centers, on the other hand, if they have a clarification or two regarding their taxes our personnel are very willing to help and assist them.

Meanwhile, Mendoza remains optimistic the Bicol tax collection bureau will achieve a better revenue collection this 2011 and surpass anew the performance last year.

In 2010, some P4.84 billion were actually collected by BIR Bicol from the seven revenue district offices across the region higher by P254.68 million or 5.55 percent more than the P4.58 billion target collection.

Mendoza credited income tax as the primary source of taxes in Bicol comprising 63 percent of the revenue collection, while the value added tax added 31 percent, percentage tax with 3 percent, other form taxes taking the 2 percent and excise tax at 1 percent.

He said income taxes totaled P2.8 billion; VAT, P1.5 billion; percentage tax, P216 million; other taxes, P222 million, and excise tax, P1.9 million.

Mendoza said that the seven revenue district offices (RDOs) and the regional office were able to make good their collection performance because of several innovative approaches used to increase tax collection.

Among these approaches, he said, were the intensified tax information campaign, collection of delinquent accounts, the regular tax compliance verification drive, the close monitoring of withholding agents of National and Local Government offices, Government Owned and Controlled Corporations (GOCC) projects and the voluntary compliance of top tax payers in the region.

This year, Mendoza said, they have lined up several innovations to be able to again overshoot their collection goal for 2011 with the usual strong support and cooperation being extended by Bicolano taxpayers. (MAL, PIA V/Albay)

DTI, Entrepreneurs’ council launch Outstanding Entrepinoy
By Edna A Bagadiong

VIRAC, Catanduanes, Apr. 7 (PIA) - The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Provincial Micro Small Medium Enterprise Development Council (PMSMEDC) here launched a Search for Outstanding Catandungan Entrepinoy to recognize local entrepreneurs who have shown exemplary performance and dedication in making their business successful.

There will be five sectors covered by the search namely: food processing, furniture manufacturing, handicraft making including wearables, commercial agri-business and tourism services.

The nominee enterprise must be operating in Catanduanes and duly registered with appropriate government agencies like DTI, SEC, COA, Local governments and BIR; must be in operation for the last three years; Filipino owned and must have no derogatory record.

They may be nominated by any government agency or province organization or by themselves. Nomination forms are now available at DTI Provincial Office. The nomination for should be submitted to the PMSMED through DTI not later than April 22, 2011.

Criteria for the selection are: Entrepreneurial excellence (75 points), management excellence (15 pts) and service to the community (10 pts).

The outstanding Catandungan Entrepinoy will each receive a plaque, trophy and cash during the Micro Small Medium Enterprise Council Forum on May 21, 2011.

Board of Judges will be composed of the PMSMED Chairman and representative of the PMSMED chairman and representatives from the academic, banking sectors and local media.(MAL/EAB, PIA Catanduanes)

Sorsogon tourism seen a vibrant and bullish industry this year
By Irma A. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY, April 7 (PIA) -- The Sorsogon Provincial Tourism Council (SPTC) sees a vibrant and bullish tourism industry in the province in two years time through pursuing programs and measures at par with global trends.

Newly elected chair Angelita Hsu -Duran Agnes of the SPTC, along with 15 other young and dynamic members of the board of directors, said the council is now focused in pursuit of the goal making tourism one of the economic agenda for development in the province.

According to Agnes, members of the board mostly comprising of young entrepreneurs and tourism related businesses, resort owners and operators, are making a dynamic approach in handling the tourism industry here by coming up with an integrated approach of marketing tourism from destination, service and and culture immersion.

Other elected as officers of the tourism council are vice chair Reymund Yap of Giddy's Place in Donsol; secretary Michelle D. Galarosa of Rizal Beach Resort; treasurer Johnn Estipona of Una Pizzeria; press relation officer Josephine Pikal of Fritz Homestay here; auditor Marilyn Razo of Aguiluz Homestay in Donsol; ways and means Macario Chavez of Weks Place here.

The board of directors are Boy Mateo of Mateo Hot Spring Resort in Irosin; Bing Ravanilla of Villa Isabel Hotel here; Amy Quisumbing, operator of Olango Beach Resort in Sta Magdalena; Joey Lasala , proprietor of Casa Feliz in Juban town; Jayson Melgar, tour guide of the firefly watching in Donsol; jayson Deligero, representative of a people's organization in Prieto Diaz Mangrove Ecotour; Chuck Nares of the MMGroup; and Karen Go, owner of Janes Restaurant here.
With the accreditation of all stakeholders in the tourism industry here, the council will ensure that the standards followed globally will also be implemented in the practice of tourism service.

After the recent general assembly of stakeholders, the council has convened mapping out new collaborative measures to make tourism more vibrant and robust.

"This is by way of coming up with activities every month year round that will cater to the global needs and new tourism trends," stated Agnes.
The Aribada Festival, showcasing the whale sharks activities in Donsol, will commence this series of activities as it will already start on last week of April wherein the council will already provide assistance in terms of marketing.

All festivals will be also highlighted in the SPTC brochures and that all municipal tourism councils will be provided the draft plan of tourism packages according to Duran.

Meanwhile, Agnes cited that the Department of Tourism (DOT) in Bicol reported that n the comparative data of the regional distribution of travelers from January 2009 to December 2010, Sorsogon has recorded a 21 percent increase in tourist arrivals and ranked third in the arrivals for the past two years.

DOT Bicol Director Maria Ravanilla reported to the council that Sorsogon has a total of 51,433 domestic tourists and 32,921 foreign tourists arrivals from January-December 2009 with a total of 84,354 tourists.

Ravanilla added that from January to December 2010 recorded domestic tourists for Sorsogon totaled to 73,925 and 27,925 foreign tourists with a total of 101,799. (MAL/IAG, PIA Sorsogon)


San Jose opens 24-hour lying-in clinic
By Danilo C. Abad

SAN JOSE, Camarines Sur –Apr.7 (PIA)-- The San Jose Lying-In Center has officially opened on a 24-hour basis after its inauguration and blessing held last April 4 here.

The 12-bed facility is a pet project of Mayor Antonio B. Chavez which is expected to boost the promotion of health programs of the local government unit for the residents of this municipality.
Dr. Arnel Armea, municipal health chief, said that the center will give priority to maternity patients from this town needing “normal spontaneous delivery “.

He said that the nurses, midwives and attendants presently assigned at the health center here will likewise serve as such at the lying-in unit.

According to him, maternity patients from this town will not be billed for “normal delivery “and only minimal charge for medicine.

Meanwhile, Chavez explained that the project is part of his program to give his constituents affordable and easy access to health services from the local government unit.

The mayor said that the people of San Jose deserve a dedicated, compassionate and honest local government unit and that is what he is trying to give them.

He also appeals to those who have generous heart to extend any help or assistance for the clinic since it still lacks on facilities but due to his great desire to help the constituents opted to open it immediately and offer basic services for the meantime while the LGU continues to improve the edifice.

The clinic is located at the ground floor of the former ABC building adjacent to the San Jose Municipal Health Center of this town. (MAL/DCA, PIACamSur)