Appeal for registration of Aklanons with no birth certificates aired

    Kalibo, Aklan -- The Department of Education (DepEd) here and other concerned agencies recently aired their appeal to local government units to help in the registration of their constituents so these people will be issued birth certificates.

    Amelia Lim, Alternative Learning System (ALS) Coordinator in Aklan revealed during a recent meeting here that there are still many Aklanons who have no birth certificates.

    Some of these people, according to her, are already old, others are just babies and children and the rest belong to indigenous groups.

    Lim said people who avail of tests given by the ALS to assess their learning level need birth certificates badly.

    For his part, Blas Solidum, Provincial Statistics Officer of NSO- Aklan said he will try to find means to have these Aklanons registered by their respective Municipal Civil Registrar offices.

    According to him, municipalities with many unregistered Aklanons include Libacao, Madalag and Malay.

    Libacao and Madalag are highland and interior municipalities in Aklan while Malay, where Boracay Island belongs, has Aeta communities.

    "Birth certificates are very important. Presently, Grade I pupils are required already to submit authenticated copies of their birth certificates upon enrollment. Parents should exert efforts to have their children registered. Municipal Civil Registrars should also bring their services to the people", Solidum said.

    He added availing late registrations is also expensive. He reminded parents too, and other informants to ensure that the entries in the birth registration forms are correct to avoid going to court if there are corrections needed.

    The issue on birth registration came up in the meeting held recently to plan out activities for this year's celebration of National Statistics Month in October where it was suggested that one of the activities is to conduct registration of those who have never registered before regardless of age.

    It was also suggested if penalty fees could be waived for registering late. However, the privilege would only for those who cannot afford to pay the penalties, the NSO and the DepEd emphasized.

    Aklan's celebration of Statistics Month will be launched on October 19 through the opening of the Statistical Exhibit. This year, the DPWH and the National Statistics Association spearhead the event. The theme of the celebration, now on its 21^st year, is "Towards a Philippine Statistical System Responsive to Emerging National and Global Challenges." (PIA/Venus G. Villanueva)

Aklan slates activities for Statistics Month

    Kalibo, Aklan -- A meeting for this year's National Statistics Month celebration was recently held at the Conference Room of the GRQC Building here to plan out activities for the month-long observance.

    The meeting, presided by Engr. Roger M. Esto of the the Provincial Planning and Development Office here, was attended by heads and representatives of national and provincial government offices.

    This is the 21^st year of celebrating National Statistics Month, pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 647 signed by the late President Corazon C. Aquino on September 20, 1990.

    Theme of this year's celebration is "Towards a Philippine Statistical System Responsive to Emerging National and Global Challenges."

    As with the previous celebrations, the province will undertake this yeat a statistical exhibit of programs, projects and services of government offices at the Provincial Trade Hall, Capitol Grounds.

    Other activities to be undertaken to generate awareness and make the celebration more significant include hanging of streamers, kapihan/radio program guestings, Statistical Quiz and an opportunity for Aklanons who were never registered in their Municipal Local Registrar's Offices to avail of late registration privilege, which will be arranged by the National Statistics Office here.

    The Department of Public Works and Highways and the National Statistics Association will be leading this year's celebration. (PIA/Venus G. Villanueva)

Media indispensable for successful tax collection – BIR

 

    Kalibo, Aklan - Media is indispensable in the campaign of the Bureau of Internal Revenue's successful tax collection, according to OIC Revenue District Officer Ricardo J. Osorio of BIR-Aklan.

 

    Osorio issued this statement before the Aklan media here at a press conference with the BIR held September 23 at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Session Hall.

 

    Osorio said the media helps the BIR a lot in monitoring compliance of business establishments and government units and other sectors in its tax collection activities.

 

    "We appeal to the media in Aklan to help us reach out to taxpayers so they will pay their taxes because when they pay their taxes, they help support the expenses of the government," Osorio said.

 

    At the press conference, Osorio shared with the media BIR-aAklan's tax collection accomplishment, specifically in the month of August 2010, which he said exceeded the target for the month.

 

    BIR-Aklan was able to collect P55,983,627.28 August of this year, while in the same month last year, the agency collected P40,769,424.81, which registered an increase of P15,214,201.47 or 37.32%.

 

    As to its actual collection from January to August this year, the bureau was able to collect P467,382,115.50. Last year during the same period, the BIR collected P364,69,151.08, which registered an increase of P102,690,964.42, or 28.16%.

 

    In their actual collection vs. goal, the collection as of August which is P467,382,115.50 if brought side by side with their cumulative goal showed an increase pf P52,231,115.50 or 12.58%.

 

    Some of the questions that arised during the press conference which were ably answered by BIR-Aklan focused on the campaign against tax evaders, tax collection implementation in boracay Island, taxing professionals, Oplan Kandado, Premyo Sa Resibo, issuance of receipts, Expanded Senior Citizens law and BIR's role, dummies in businesses, IRA from taxes given to local government units and problems on fixers.

 

    Prompted by the big attendance of the local media in the press conference, Osorio said he would be glad to sit down again with the media in a regular basis once every two months or quarterly.

 

    The press conference, facilitated by the Philippine Information Agency was conducted with the aim of assisting the BIR in providing them maximum communication support in their year-round Public Assistance Awareness Campaign (PAAC) so people will be encouraged to pay their taxes promptly and correctly. (PIA/Villanueva)

 

DOLE releasing checks for Aklan’s SPES beneficiaries

    Kalibo, Aklan -- The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) here has started releasing checks to beneficiaries of Special Program for Employment of Students Program (SPES) in the province who rendered services in their respective municipalities and in school during summer.

    Joselito de la Banda, DOLE-Aklan Provincial Director said a total of 760 students benefited from the program who will get 40% of their pay from DOLE. The other 60% comes from the the local government units where they rendered their services.

    Nine local government units directly employed for 22 days students residing in their respective municipalities while the Provincial Government covered the hiring of students from 8 municipalities. Six public and private colleges in Aklan also joined the program.

    These students, according to DOLE-Aklan, were tasked to update their respective municipalities' skills registry, so that when job opportunities arise, it will be easier to know how many are available for employment in their localities and the kind of skills residents possess. Students hired by schools rendered duties in the educational establishments.

    De la Banda said total amount given by the DOLE representing 40% of the pay for students under the program reached P1,255,880.00.

    Meanwhile, DOLE-Aklan has extended more than P3,000,000.00 as livelihood fund to various municipalities in the province since 2009.

    These municipalities, according to De la Banda, include the municipalities of Banga which received P500,000.00 for 110 beneficiaries; Tangalan, P500,000.00, 100 beneficiaries; Ibajay, P500,000.00, with 213 beneficiaries; Makato, P500,000.00 with 50 beneficiaries and Kalibo, P533,819.20 with 124 beneficiaries.

    The municipality of Batan, on the other hand, received P400,000.00 on April 15, 2010 for 129 beneficiaries while the municipality of Malay received tools starter kits for 9 beneficiaries amounting to P95,753.00.

    DOLE-Aklan said before the releases, the local government units first submitted project proposals. The implementation of the various livelihood projects are also monitored by DOLE. (PIA/Venus G. Villanueva)

Aklan has peaceful employment climate, says DOLE

 

    Kalibo, Aklan -- The province of Aklan has a peaceful employment climate, according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) here.

 

    Joselito dela Banda, DOLE-Aklan Provincial Director, said that the office has not received any notice of lay-offs in Boracay, one of the outcomes anticipated in the island as an aftermath of the bloody hostage-taking in Quirino Grandstand that killed 8 Hongkong tourists.

 

    "The incident happened in time with the off-season in Boracay Island, when workers rest or take their vacation. This is a normal set-up in the island, because during busy months, these workers are also unable to go home or take their vacation with the big number of tourists arriving in Boracay," De la Banda said.

 

    Aklan, according to De la Banda, is currently enjoying a normal labor situation.

 

    Meanwhile, DOLE-Aklan announced that there is already a new wage order to be observed in Western Visayas.

 

    According to De la Banda, the wage board released for publication the implementing rules and regulations of the wage order on September 15. However, the order was released August 12, so it will take effect retroactively.

 

    Under the new wage order, workers in non-agricultural establishments with more than 10 employees will receive P265 daily wage while those with 10 or less workers will receive P223 daily.

 

    For agricultural workers in plantations, each will receive P233 daily wage while those in non-plantation will receive P223 daily.

 

    DOLE however said there are also instances when establishments are exempted to implement the order, such as when an establishment is distressed, or just newly-put up.

 

    These establishments could be given a one-year reprieve, provided they file their request for exemption within 75 days after the release of the wage order.

 

    Some establishments in Aklan, according to DOLE, have applied for this reprieve. (PIA/Venus G. Villanueva)

BIR-Aklan exceeds August target

    Kalibo, Aklan -- The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) here exceeded its tax collection target for August 2010.

    According to BIR-Aklan OIC Revenue District Officer Ricardo J. Osorio, a total of P55,983,627.28 was collected for August 2010.

    Compared with the same month last year which had P40,769,424.81 collections, an increase of P15,214,202.47 was realized by BIR-Aklanthis year, or 37.32%.

    Osorio said that from January to August of this year, BIR-Aklan was able to collect a total of P467,382,115.50. Last year, the province was able to collect during the same period a total of P364,691,151.08. The current period's collection posted an increase of P102,690,964.42.

    This year, BIR-Aklan is targeting to collect P641,000,000.00.

    "With P467,382,115.50 already collected, we need to look for P173,651,884.50 to achieve our 2010 collection target," RDO Osorio said.

    Osorio said Boracay Island contributed much to the increase in tax collection of BIR-Aklan.

    "Thirty percent of BIR's collections come from Boracay Island. The increase in tourist arrivals, new businesses put up in Boracay Island, and the awareness of Aklanon taxpayers in performing their patriotic duties by paying the right taxes helped much in the BIR's tax collections this period", Osorio said.

    Meanwhile, a total of 5 establishments had been closed by BIR-Aklan under its "Oplan-Kandado" program this year. However, these establishments were also allowed to open after paying their tax obligations, according to BIR-Aklan. (PIA/Venus G. Villanueva)

 

Aklan governor optimistic on tourism industry recovery

 

    Kalibo, Aklan -- By showing the tourists who flock to Boracay Island that they are safe and secure while in the province, Aklan governor Carlito S. Marquez said he believes the tourism industry in Aklan and in the country in general will regain its strength and liveliness.

 

    Governor Marquez relayed this optimism recently over his regular report over a radio station here in sharing his views regarding the botched hostage-taking in Quirino Grandstand recently that took the life of 8 tourists from Hongkong.

 

    Marquez said he was saddened with the hostage-taking incident in Manila and was alarmed with its grave effect on the economy.

 

    "We in Aklan are one of the most affected, particularly our tourism industry. So we called an emergency meeting recently with our PNP, Coast Guard, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and other security-related agencies to strengthen our Technical Working Group through the creation of a Crisis Management Team. And this is in order to show our constituents and tourists our preparedness in times of this kind of emergency," Marquez told radio listeners.

 

    The governor also assured Aklanons that he and other provincial officials are committed to secure everything, particularly the airports, tourist buses, and highway.

 

    He also vowed to strengthen police visibility.

 

    Meanwhile, Governor Marquez revealed that from August 1-24, a total of 46,917 tourists visited Boracay. More than 22,000 of these, according to him, are foreigners.

 

    From January to August, the island was visited by 550,120 tourists – 181,000 of these foreigners; 349,000 domestic and 20,000 overseas Filipinos.

 

    These visitors enabled the province to realize P10,113,076,008.00 total tourism receipts. (PIA/Venus G. Villanueva)