Sagunto Star

This is the congressman’s response to questions raised on his previous post regarding Taxes, Financial Statements and DENR Compliance. For the purpose of keeping comments on topic, I posted his comment on this new post for comments. ~ jeanette

Mark Cojuangco

EMZ;
“Of course you know these, Sir…we have heard of your projects and often frustrations in drilling water wells for our communities. We’d like you to know that we are so thankful for all your drilling efforts, and hope you continue helping our farmers and barangays with machinery to dig water. More machines like the ones you “demonstrated” around Sison are needed in every barangay. But have you ever wondered what may be causing this difficulty of reaching the water shed?”

RESPONSE FOR EMZ;

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(This comment was moved from the previous post of the congressman’s response to questions regarding taxes paid by NCC.)

FROM MARK O. COJUANGCO
Response to Jun Aquino, as well as my response to question 3.
Sorry, we are so busy with the campaign. There are 8 towns and 1 city in our district, 212 Bgys.
We get home past 12 every night.

Yes. NCC pays all other forms of taxes. I suppose the largest would be; the expanded VAT (12%), Corporate Income Tax and, all other national taxes. And although I am not well versed in all of these, they are much larger than the local taxes paid.

And so, some of these taxes find their way back to Sison through the IRA (Internal Revenue Allotment) and in 2009 Sison received 52,751,488.00 or approximately 52.7 Million pesos worth of IRA. Of course the IRA system also spreads and distributes the taxes collected and gives it to all other LGUs (towns, cities and provinces) throughout the country.

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Congressman Cojuangco left the following as a comment on one of our posts in response to the question posted by Mr. Jun Aquino. I thought it would be fitting to publish it as a separate post so that it is easier for everyone to find.

To my townmates of Sison:

This is in response to the question many of you have asked:
1. Is Sison entitled to collect tax from NCC? If yes, what is the rightful tax due to Sison? What have they done to collect this? How much have been collected?

The simple answer is YES. Sison is entitled to collect tax from NCC and NCC has duly paid its taxes to Sison, on time and in full.

To start, see the detailed explanation and resources cited below:

The following link:
http://www.chanrobles.com/localgov2.htm and in particular; Sec. 143 (a) and (c)(8) Cement

This Section and subsections of the “LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE” or RA 7160 provide the legal basis for the Municipal Government’s taxation of NCC.

Note; {the IRR (Implementing Rules and Regulations) of the “LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE” or RA 7160 have these same provisions under; Art. 243 (a) and (c) (8) Cement}

Subsec. a) (in the last line of the enumerated tax rates for gross sales ABOVE 6.5M Pesos per year) provides for a maximum rate of 37.5% of 1% or;
0.375 x 0.01 x gross sales

Subsec. c) Provides for a limit of 1/2 or of the amount granted under Sec. a) or; 0.5 x (the amount granted in subsec. a); for item “(8) Cement”, because it is an “essential commodity”.

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Last year, Congressman Mark O. Cojuangco introduced a bill to revive the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant. Re-commissioning of the power plant is guaranteed to generate lively debate and it has as you can see in the GMA News video below. On his introduction of the bill, the congressman stated:

I realize that many of you are not convinced, that many of our people are not convinced. And also, that many, have very legitimate anxieties, apprehensions and fears about the possibility of the Philippines adopting nuclear power as an alternative source of energy, let alone to commission and run the BNPP as a viable and quick solution to our energy problems.

And so, I file this bill, a bill which seeks to make it a law, that our government do all it can to make the BNPP a safe, clean, and functional nuclear power plant.

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The Honorable Mark O. Cojuangco, Congressional Representative of Pangasinan’s 5th District introduced a new bill in Congress Mandating the Immediate Re-commissiong and Commercial Operation of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant, Appropriating Funds Therefore and for Other Purposes. The Ilocano version of the Congressman’s introduction of the bill is on the Sison Official Website but for the benefit of our readers who are not at ease reading Ilocano, here is the English version.

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