BIR collects P2.3 billion for first semester of 2011

By Ed de Leon

LEGAZPI CITY, July 28 (PIA) - The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) regional office here has reported today that the seven revenue district offices of the tax agency were able to collect a total of P2.33 billion during the first six months of 2011.

In her report during a press conference held at the BIR regional office last Monday, Ma. Theresa A. Aycardo, assistant chief of the collection division, however said that the collection was short by P123,786,735.77 or 5.04 percent of the P2.45 billion goal for the period.

She said that the slow down in the implementation of government infrastructure projects in the region during the period and the lower wholesale and retail sales of business establishments related to building and construction affected the ability to of the agency to collect more than the goal.

Aycardo said that 67 percent of the collections were derived from income tax which reached P1.55 billion or P134,493,557.28 more than the P1,41 billion goal or an increment of 9.49 percent.

While value Added tax (VAT) collected for the same period was 31 percent below the goal of P829,955.000.00 which only reached P568,360,800.72 or a lower by P261,594,199.28 compared to the goal.

“ It is this type of tax that is being collected from contractors of government infrastructure projects and wholesale and retail business establishment.” Aycardo explained.

While there was a decline in the collection of VAT, there was on the other hand an increase in the collection from percentage tax which reached P111,911,474.08 or 11.91 percent increase over the goal of P99,999,000.00 or an increment of of P11,912,474.08.

On excise tax collection, the Bureau had a 308.84 percent increase in its collection from its goal of P599,000 or an increment of P1,849,960 due to the collection from mining activities in Matnog Sorsogon, Aycardo explained.

Meanwhile, BIR regional director Atty. Diosdao R. Mendoza said that they are optimistic that they will be able to meet this year’s P4.9 billion tax collection goal during the second semester because the government according to Department of Budget and Management Secretary Butch Abad will accelerate the implementation of its infrastructure projects during the third and fourth quarter of 2011.

During the the past four years BIR Bicol has consistently overshot its yearly collection goal according to Mendoza. (MAL/EDL, PIA V)

OWWA Bicol awarded scholarships to 57 more scholars

LEGAZPI CITY, July 28 (PIA/OWWA) – The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Regional Welfare Office 5 (OWWA Bicol) awarded last Monday (July 25) scholarship grants under the OFW-Dependents Scholarship Program (OFWDSP) to 57 college students who are children of OFWs. Prior to the awarding ceremony, Welfare Officer Mayan Trilles oriented the new scholars and their parents about the responsibilities of both the scholars and OWWA under the program.

OFWDSP is one of the two new scholarship programs of OWWA under the Aquino administration, giving priority to OFWs who earn less than US$400 a month, or roughly P17,000. With this program, an OWWA scholar gets P10,000 per semester until graduation to cover tuition fees and other school-related expenses. The scholars should enroll in any CHED-priority four to five-year course, in any school of their choice within the Bicol Region. As of June 2011, OWWA Bicol maintains 26 OFWDSP scholars and this year’s batch of new scholars brings the total to 83, region-wide.

Regional Director Jocelyn O. Hapal opened the orientation with a remark that OWWA shares and support the OFWs’ dream of providing education to the children, emphasizing how a college degree can ensure a better future, without resorting to overseas employment as the only option. She assures the continuity of the scholarship regardless of the return to the country of the OFWs who opted to retire after finishing contracts, who seek other livelihood in the country after a breach of contract because of problems at the worksite abroad, or even those who were displaced by calamities and civil unrest while working abroad.

Along with OFWDSP scholars, scholarship grants were also awarded to children of OFWs who died while working abroad. This group of children, one in every family of deceased OFWs, will be sponsored from elementary until college graduation, on top of the livelihood assistance of P15,000 and death and burial benefits of P120,000 to P220,000.

As of this date, OWWA Bicol maintains 149 scholars in elementary, high school and college. (MAL/BJCBonnet, OWWA V)

Provincial Health Team formulates roll out Philhealth continuous registration strategies

by Irma A. Guhit


SORSOGON CITY, July 28 (PIA) -- The Provincial Health Team (PHT) conducted an evaluation and planning of a roll out activitity of the continuous implementation of the Philhealth registration here last week at ST Lopez Hall of the Sorsogon Provincial Hospital (PHO) presided by Dr. Edgar Garcia. provincial health officer.

The team is comprised of the Provincial Health Office (PHO), Department of Health (DOH), Philhealth Provincial Field Office, city and provincial Department of Education Superintendents, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Provincial Social Welfare and Development office (PSWDO) and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA).

Inputs of the different partner agencies were assessed and Dr. Napoleon Arevalo facilitated the discussion as to the merits of the strategies implemented during the Philhealth Sabado II activity last June 25.


According to Alfredo Jubilo, while the provincial target was not achieved as it was hoped, very commendable were the efforts provided by health workers and he assistance both in manpower and logistics of the local government units in the two venues, Sorsogon City and Castilla.

Immediate concerns were raised to strengthen and sustain the implementation of the continuous registration roll out activity of the Philhealth which according to Dr Arevalo is more DepEd focused.


Dr. Virgilio Real, DepEd City Schools Division Superintendent said that the need to strengthen the Information Education Campaign (IEC) in all schools by orienting the city and provincial schools personnel is a must and it was scheduled last July 26 while orientation of media practitioners was scheduled August 5.

He also suggested that as part of the planned roll out activity will be the distribution of Philhealth forms that should be made available from July 25 onwards. He said that based on school population, Philhealth has to provide 30,000 pieces of survey forms for the city and 116,000 Philhealth survey forms for the province.

Meanwhile the establishment of Philhealth Desks (PDs) should be done province wide according to Dr. Real and IEC materials together with Philhealth survey forms be made available at the PDs.

Provincewide establishments of PDs is scheduled from August 29-31 to include also the orientation of personnel who will be assigned in the PDs.

To strengthen the IEC, Dr. Real also suggested that 528 tarpaulins be provided for posting in all school to provide an intensive information campaign awareness of the activity.

Jubilo said that this will be recommended to the Philhealth regional office V since this entails quite a big amount and the results of the recommendation will be immediately relayed to the PHT..

Other activities like radio hopping, Parent Teacher Association Conference (PTAC) and coordination with local government units will be an add on year round activities that will be started this first week of August as agreed by the members of the Provincial Health Team (PHT).

A monitoring and evaluation activity was also included and a monthly meeting will also be called as the need arises as suggested by Dr. Garcia.

The PHT scheduled the posting of tarpaulins in all schools province wide to be done simultaneously this August 18.

Mandated agencies assigned to conduct certain activities will inform the PHT as to the collegial implementation. (MAL/IAG, PIA Sorsogon)

"Green Sorsogon", stakeholders' commitment to the National Greening Program Regional Summit

by Irma A. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY, July 28 (PIA) -- Various stakeholders from the province of Sorsogon led by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) provincial office and City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) participated to the National Greening Program (NGP) Regional Summit held last week at La Piazza Hotel and Convention Center, Legaspi City.

The province of Sorsogon during the output presentation in the NGP regional summit presented their NGP Road map plan for action with a commitment for a Green Sorsogon.


A total of 440 hectares will be planted with 150,00 seedlings within the first 6 months of this year starting July in support to the government's NGP.

This was the commitment submitted by both the DENR - PENRO and CENRO office here as earlier planned with initial previous consultation before the summit with various stakeholders comprising of national government line agencies, local government units, non-governmental organizations, peoples organization to include indigenous groups.


The areas to be planted will be composed of the Protected Areas, the Excess Areas, the Indigenous People Ancestral Domain and the Community Based Forest Management areas.

Forester Renato P. Camacho, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (PENRO) of the DENR provincial office here said that the NGP as a government mechanism for a sustainable environment will come up with consultative meetings again with other agencies and other basic sectors in the manner of the massive planting to be conducted so that the commitment of the province for a Green Sorsogon will be achieved by 2016.

The areas to be planted as mapped out by both the PENRO and CENRO office here in detail have provided the proposed sites and seedlings to be planted. 190 hectares will be planted with 52,500 seedlings for the Protected Area site, for the Excess Areas targetted was 90 hectares with 45,000 seedlings to be planted and for the Ancestral Domain / Indigenous People it will cover 10 hectares with 5,000 seedlings to be planted.

Forester Crisanta Marlen P. Rodriguez, CENRO officer in charge said that in the Protected Area sites 40 hectares will be covered in San Roque Maricrum Bacon; 60 hectares in Lajong Juban; 5 hectares in Marifosque Pilar.

Also in the protected area in Magallanes 30 hectares will also be utilized for planting and in San Roque ,Bulusan at the Bulusan Volcano Natural Park (BVNP) 40 hectares will also be planted and another 40 hectares in San Francisco also in the BVNP..A total of 235 hectares will be planted in identified protected area reservation sites.

Meanwhile for the CBFM identified areas were barangay Amomonting in Castilla with 30 has; barangay Incarizan in Magallanes with 50 has and CSC Holders with 20 has in barangay Lipata Bulan with a total of 100 has in all.

For the IP/ Ancestral Domain the NCIP Tribal Group in Naburacan Matnog has also identified 10 has for planting.

The excess areas mainly were identiified in the 250,000 reservation site at the Energy Development Corporation with 20 has at barangay Osiao Bacon Disrtict ; 20 has at barangay Tublijon, Sorsogon City; 20 has at La Union, Castilla ; 20 has at barangay Canjale in Castilla ; and another 20 has in barangay Maypangi, Castilla

"We are committed to pursue the greening of Sorsogon as vowed by our partner agencies, NGOs, POs and other stakeholders" Rodriguez implied during the summit.

"In fact this pre-identification of sites and the number of seedlings needed were already discussed during the preliminaries prior to this event in our office in consultation with these various stakeholders" she said. (MAL/IAG, PIA Sorsogon)