BIR tax drive on to collect P5.7 Billion in Bicol

By Ed de Leon

LEGAZPI CITY, February 20 (PIA) -- The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) regional office here officially launched its 2012 tax campaign Thursday (February 16) with an annual revenue target of P5.7 billion of various taxes in the six provinces, 108 municipalities and seven cities of Bicol.

During the kick-off ceremonies held at the Embarcadero de Legazpi Atrium, BIR regional director Esmeralda M. Tabule appealed to Bicolano taxpayers to promptly pay their correct taxes to avoid the rush on or before the April 16, 2012 deadline for income tax payment.

She reported that last year BIR Bicol was able to collect a total of P4,714,368,943.79 in various taxes with an increase of more than P371.4 million or 8.55 percent higher than the 2010 collection, but fell short to the P4.996 billion target for 2011.

She said that she was confident that this year the bureau will be able to collect the P5.7 billion goal, noting that theJanuary 2012 collection already reached P525,524,777.40 surpassing the collection goal for the month of P495.7 million or an increase of 6.01 percent and P99 million or 23 percent more than the same period last year.

Tabule said that one of the major campaigns of BIR Bicol is to instill to the buying public the importance of asking for a receipt for every purchase they make to ensure that the corresponding tax is paid.

This, she said, is the reason why “Premyo Sa Resibo” promo was institutionalized and enhanced through text messaging with millions of prizes at stake.

She added as a complementary project to the “Ask for a Receipt Program”, the regional office is launching a “Receipt Issuance Campaign” that would remind all business establishments the importance of issuing receipt in every sale transaction they make by asking them to post in conspicuous places in their establishments a new sticker with the message “SA KADA PAGBAKAL MO, OBLIGACION KO AN MAGRESIBO” (For every purchase you make, it is my obligation to issue a receipt.

This is to instill also in the minds of the businessmen that it is their obligation to issue a receipt for every sale or transaction they make without the customer asking for a receipt, she said.

In the same tax campaign launching program, BIR Bicol also introduced “Robi Resibo” the anime superhero they created whose mission is to go around business establishments as a way to further strengthen their advocacy campaign on the importance for the customers to demand a receipts for every transaction and for the business establishment to automatically issue a receipt.

Tabule also said that they will also strengthen their campaign by vigorously implementing Oplan Kandado and monitoring of professionalslessors and lessees, withholding agents, top 20,000 corporations and top 5,000 individual taxpayers.

Nelson M. Aspe, BIR Deputy Commissioner for Operations, was the guest of honor during the launching program. (MAL/EDL, PIA V)

102 HS delegates from Albay lead National Schools Press Conference

By Aida Alcazar-Naz

LEGAZPI CITY, Feb 20(PIA) -- For winning the championship in the recently concluded two-day Regional Secondary Schools Press Conference (RESPC) held at Polangui General Comprehensive High School in Albay, secondary students from the province of Albay will lead the delegation to the 2012 National Secondary Schools Press Conference (NSPC) set in April 9–13 at Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

Albay garnered a total of 87 points followed by last year’s champion Camarines Sur with 74 points, third placer was Tabaco City with 44 points followed by Legazpi City, 42 points and and Iriga City 31 points during the February 10-11 RESPC.

Albay Division was also named champion in Filipino while Camarines Sur topped in English contests.

Six provinces and seven cities competed in the RESPC, the biggest academic competition that gathered 1,197 delegates 875 of whom are campus writers.

A total of 122 student writers and their school paper advisers will represent the Bicol region in the national writing tilt. The top three winners in the individual contest, the winning group in scriptwriting contests in English and Filipino, outstanding school paper adviser, outstanding campus journalist, coaches, and advisers of the top 10 school paper in English and Filipino will compose the delegation.

The events won by top three winners were for the 14 writing competition for News Writing, Feature Writing, Editorial Writing, Sports Writing, Copy Reading, Editorial Cartooning, Photojournalism; its Filipino counterpart of Pagsulat ng Balita, Pagsulat ng Lathalain, Pagsulat ng Editoryal, Pagsulat ng Isports, Pagwawasto at Pag-uulo ng Balita, Kartung Pang Editoryal at Larawang Pampahayagan.

Adjudged Outstanding School Paper Adviser was Beverly U. Cabaltera of Polangui General Comprehensive High School (PGCHS) and the current president of the Bicol Association of School Paper Advisers while Kendra Ivana S. Sy of Philippine Science High School (PSHS) Goa Campus in Camarines Sur was named Outstanding Campus Journalist.

This year’s top 10 best school papers in English were The Bicol Scholar, PSHS; The Vanguard, Tabaco National High School (TNHS); The Apprentice, Ligao National High School (LNHS); The Pencil, Nabua High School; The Agnesian, St. Agnes Academy; The Youth Moulder, Sipocot National High School; The Quill, Marcial O. Rañalo Memorial School (MORMS); The PSU Clarion, Partido State University Laboratory School; The Courier, PGCHS and the Glow, Zeferino Arroyo National High School (ZANHS).

The best Filipino school papers were Ang Tanod (TNHS); Arab Adab, PSHS; Ang Ilaya (LNHS); Ang Baybayin, Sto. Domingo National High School; Ang Sinag, MORMS; Ang Isarog, Camarines Sur National High School; Ang Taga Ulat, PGCHS; The Maiden Chronicle, Daraga National High School; Ang Sibol, ZANHS; and Ang Umalahukan, Rinconada National Technical Vocational School.

Judges in the writing tilt and selection of best newspapers were journalism professors from Bicol University, a journalist, a photo journalist, and a staffer from the Philippine Information Agency.

The 2012 NSPC carries the theme “Promoting Digital Literacy Through Campus Journalism,” for which a new category, the Collaborative Publishing will highlight the annual competition.

Two groups of seven selected from among the individual winners in both in English and Filipino will compete in both medium. They are to produce a four-page tabloid using Microsoft Publisher software.

This is the Department of Education’s way of providing opportunity for campus journalists to demonstrate digital literacy.

Meantime, the group contest on scriptwriting and radio broadcasting both in English and Filipino will also have teams of seven who will write and produce a five-minute radio newscast.

Fatima Buen, regional English supervisor and coordinator for the RESPC said that the conduct of the press conference is pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No. 7079 or “An Act Providing for the Development and Promotion of Campus Journalism and for Other Purposes.”

Buen explained that the RESPC is a demonstration of the importance of journalism through different journalistic endeavors and approaches; to provide activities that which will encourage students to pursue careers and studies in journalism; and enhance journalistic competence through healthy and friendly competitions.

DepEd officials in Bicol hope to repeat its garnering of championship trophy during the 2003 NSPC held in Cebu City.
The NSPC annual tradition started in November 1931 when the Public Secondary Schools Press Association (PSSPA) had its first convention in Pasig, Rizal.

However, NSPC, the highest competition for journalism in both public and private high schools in the Philippines was established in 1991 in pursuant of Rule IX of Republic Act 7079 also known as Campus Journalism Act of 1991.(MAL/AAN-PIA V)

DSWD Bicol management team bags 7 awards for KALAHI-CIDSS implementation

LEGAZPI CITY, February 20 (PIA) -- The Regional Project Management Team (RPMT) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) regional office here coveted seven awards in the recently held Year-end Assessment Awards Night of the agency in Manila recently.

The management team from Bicol for the project Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) received four major awards namely Best Regional Project Management Office (RPMO), Best LGU (local government unit) Engagement award for both municipal and provincial levels and RPMO with Best Convergence Effort.

Along with these, they also bagged three minor awards as Best Public Private Partnership (PPP) Initiative, RPMO with Highest Grand Fund Disbursement and Best in Sub-Project Implementation.

The RPMO award is given by the National Management Office (NPMO) of KALAHI–CIDSS project in recognition of their exemplary performance in the delivery of all project targets, in accordance with quality standards within the given schedule for 2011.

The office’s effort in establishing partnership with local governments in the implementation of local projects likewise paid off as they receive the Best Municipal and Provincial LGU Engagement award.

Sorsogon meanwhile took the lead in passing the documentary evidence in the completion of their sub-project reports (SPCRs).

KALAHI-CIDDS is also proclaimed as the RPMO with Best Convergence Effort in recognition of their hard work in the integration of DSWD’s core social protection programs in their projects such as their Convergence Caravan. This event highlights the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4P’s) and Self-Employment Assistance Kaunlaran (SEA-K).

The project is a flagship poverty alleviation project of DSWD launched in 2003.

To date, it has given financial support to more than 500 community projects benefitting poor barangays in Bicol in partnership with various LGUs in the region. (MAL/SAA, PIA V/Albay)

PRC conducts Catanduanes ’blood donors’ assembly

VIRAC, Catanduanes, Feb. 20 (PIA) -- The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Catanduanes Chapter conducted its 1st Catanduanes Blood Donors’ Assembly February 16 at the PRC Training Hall, Virac, Catanduanes with the theme, “Dugo Mo, Karugtong ng Buhay Ko.”

It is a mission of the PRC to ease the suffering and provide assistance to the most vulnerable. For the year 2010 to 2012, the Catanduanes Chapter was able to help patients in need of blood and to maintain sufficient supply of the precious commodity.

The activity highlighted the importance of sufficient blood supply in the province.

At present, PRC Catanduanes has its own blood collecting unit/station open for 24 hours. On the year 2010, the unit was able to collected 800 bags of blood 160 of which were served to the indigents.

Donors belong to certain clubs depending on their blood type. These are club type “O+,” club type “A+,” club type “B+” and club type “AB+.” Election of officers for each club were also conducted.(MAL/EAB-PIA Catanduanes)