City intensifies tax campaign
BY ROMY AMARADO

The Dumaguete City government has been aggressively collecting taxes and is one of the few local government units in the Visayas that are not fully dependent on the Internal Revenue Allotment from the national government, for expenditures in the delivery of basic services, city administrator Dominador Dumalag Jr. said.

Dumalag said since 2003, local revenues have risen to at least P10 million yearly, without levying additional taxes. He added that the IRA share of Dumaguete accounts for only about 60 percent of its annual budget. Of its P264 million budget this year, about P105 million or 40 percent will be taken from local revenues. .

'DCWD apolitical;
no water rates hike'
BY MARICAR ARANAS & JUANCHO GALARDE

The Dumaguete City Water District said it will maintain its rates as it is impossible for them to reduce them.

Chairman of the DCWD Board of Directors Carlos Amasula, however, said the DCWD tried to hold on to the scheduling of rates as approved by the Sangguniang Panglungsod. The last increase was supposed to take effect early last year at P140 per cubic meter, but they maintained their minimum at P120, he added. DCWD manager Esperatu Dicen explained that among the factors contributing to the increase in rates are the dollar exchange value, and the rise in oil and power charges.

Dicen said out of the 17 water reservoirs and pump stations of the water district, only two don't have generator sets, but assured consumers that their power pressure is maintained even during power outages.

back to top