PANGASINAN CAPITOL. Employees attend a flag-raising ceremony in front of the provincial capitol of Pangasinan on Feb. 2, 2023. The provincial treasurer's office reported an increase in revenue collection during the first quarter of 2023. (Photo courtesy of Province of Pangasinan Facebook)
LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – The local revenue collection of the province of Pangasinan from January 1 to July 31 this year has exceeded the estimated target, following the updated revenue code and strict implementation.
Data obtained by the Philippine News Agency from the provincial treasurer's office on Friday showed professional tax collection during the first seven months this year reached PHP823,200, higher than the PHP800,000 target; franchise tax is at PHP14.4 million as compared to the PHP10 million target; and real property tax (transfer tax) is at PHP33 million against the PHP20 million target.
The most notable increase was recorded with sand, gravel and quarry products tax which is at PHP92.7 million, exceeding the estimated income of PHP30 million.
Tax on delivery trucks and vans is at PHP769,900 against the PHP500,000 target; fines and penalties on real property tax are at PHP4.7 million higher than the PHP2.5 million estimated income; and the fines and penalties for taxes on goods and services at PHP609,800 as against PHP60,000 target.
Acting Provincial Treasurer Cristy Ubando said in a statement that the updated revenue code this year as well as the monitoring of trucks, collections from the Narciso Ramos Sports and Training Center, and rent of stalls are also sources of the province’s increase in income.
She attributed the strict implementation of collections on delivery trucks and vans to the Environment and Natural Resources Office (ENRO) and the Office of the Provincial Veterinary (OPVET).
The provincial ENRO has 22 checkpoints with one or two enforcers for every checkpoint depending on the area. Quick response codes are also issued at checkpoints to identify trucks and vans that have paid their dues.
“Apart from this, there are 12 established and maintained animal quarantine checkpoints and 27 animal quarantine guards. To note, three animal checkpoints are located in the towns of Bayambang, San Fabian, and Infanta,” he said.
Other income sources of the province include permit fees; clearances and certification; rent income; income from hotels and dormitories (Capitol Resort Hotel) and miscellaneous income (accountable forms, OPVET, testing fees, sale of seedlings from the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, rice production, corn production and sale of pasteurized and raw carabao milk as well as unserviceable equipment among others.
Ubando said the increased collection already enabled the province to purchase equipment and parcels of land.
“Actually po, dahil sa mga revenue collection ay nakabili na rin po tayo ng ating mga equipment sa Pangasinan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDDRMO) na siya po nating ginagamit sa panahon ng kalamidad (Actually, because of the revenue collection, we were able to buy equipment for the Pangasinan PDRRMO that we use during calamities)," she said.
"Meron na rin po tayong nabili na lupa sa Umingan na siyang pagtatayuan po natin ng panibagong hospital at nalipat na rin po ito sa pangalan natin. Andiyan din po ang mga farm to market roads at iba pang mga proyekto (We have also purchased a parcel of land in Umingan town where a hospital will be built and this was already transferred to the provincial government’s name. We also have the farm to market roads among other projects),” she added. (PNA)
