By Leilanie G. Adriano
Staff Reporter
LAOAG CITY—Local revenue sources will increase this year
with the approval of 140 permits of quarry applicants last year.
Records from the Provincial Quarry Office showed the
provincial government has released at least 91 of the 140 permits with the
remaining permits due for release on the first week of January 2o20.
Compared to previous years, there were only 77 approved
quarry permittees in 2018, and 113 in 2019.
For this year, Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Donald
Nicolas, in his capacity as chair of the committee on appropriations, said they
expect an increase in the collection of local revenues in view of the increase
in quarry fees.
In addition to real property taxes, the quarry industry
is a major local revenue source of local government units in the province.
Under the Provincial Quarry Ordinance, both the
provincial and municipal governments have a share of 30% from quarry fees and
charges while the host barangay will get a 40% share.
In previous years, the province has observed a number of
illegal quarry operators, hence the Sangguniang Panlalawigan moved to revise
the existing quarry ordinance and imposed higher penalties for theft of
minerals.
“We have strengthened the regulation of quarry operations
and we hope this will increase our local revenue sources,” said Mr. Nicolas following
the approval of the quarry permits.
The PQC has also a new set of members and an oversight
committee to intensify the monitoring of illegal quarry operations.
In 2014, the PQC was created by virtue of Executive Order
No. 238-14 specifically to prescribe form, to accept and evaluate applications
for permits including new and extension period of validity permit, approve and
grant application permits, deployment of personnel to quarry sites for
compliance of quarry laws, investigate complaints and impose sanctions for
violations of quarry laws, orders and ordinances.
But the Ilocos Norte government temporarily suspended the
granting of sand and quarry permits until the Implementing Rules and
Regulations (IRR) of the comprehensive Provincial Quarry Ordinance was
finalized.
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