Pampanga’s revenues from 2023 quarry operations from Mt. Pinatubo’s sand and rocks reach an all-time high of P1.056 Billion.
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—The Pampanga provincial government has collected ₱1.056 billion in revenues from Mt. Pinatubo’s sand and rocks in the whole of 2023, ensuring more local income for health and other services to the people, Gov. Dennis “Delta” Pineda said on Wednesday.
Last year’s gross collection has surpassed Pineda’s own annual revenue records since he assumed office in 2019, a report from the Office of the Provincial Treasurer (OPT) showed.
According to OPT records, the Pineda administration collected ₱459.6 million in 2019, ₱609.6 million and ₱782.5 million during the COVID-19 pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, ₱738.6 million when the governor enforced the anti-overloading law in 2022, and P1.056 billion in 2023.
Totalling ₱3.647 billion in five years from 2019 to 2023, these were generated through the P250- administrative fee and P150-sand tax and various fees including penalties. The barangays, cities or towns, and provinces share the sand tax at 40-30-30 percent, respectively. Capitol retains the administrative fee to regulate the multi-million pesos quarry industry, bringing the net provincial share or revenues to over ₱2 billion in five years.
Top 3 among 10 provinces
The amounts ranked Pampanga as the Top 3 among 10 provinces with the highest locally sourced revenues in 2021, earning also the 5th spot in collection efficiency that year, Memorandum Circular No. 015-2022 of the Department of Finance’s Bureau of Local Government Finance showed.
“Malaki po ang aking pagpapasalamat sa mga quarry associations at hauling companies dahil sa kanilang pagbabayad ng buwis, pagsunod sa ating mga patakaran at pagtalima sa batas kontra- overloading (I am extremely grateful to quarry associations and hauling companies for their payment of taxes, for adhering to our policies and obeying the anti-overloading law),” the governor said.
The governor also thanked former Bacolor Mayor Romeo “Buddy” Dungca for supervising the regulatory unit Kalam (Kapampangan a Lulugud at Matapat). Business leaders had said that the resiliency of the Kapampangans showed in how they transformed the disaster to a kalam (blessing) by selling the sand and other volcanic debris from the June 1991 eruption and lahar flows.
Pineda assured: “Ang kita po sa quarry ay ginagamit lagi sa mga serbisyo para sa ating mga kabalen.”
Striking a balance
He said his administration continues to be committed to balancing the safety of the environment as well as government and private infrastructure while regulating the industry.
Just recently, Governor Dennis "Delta" Pineda shared invaluable insights and encouragement to 4,040 Sangguniang Kabataan officials, urging them to embrace the principles of respect and responsibility as they assume their roles as public servants.
"You need to know how to give respect to the people and keep in mind your responsibility as public servants. Be exemplary role models as elected officials, embodying the values that our community expects,” Governor Pineda said.
Pineda was joined by other provincial leaders in stressing the importance of data gathering at the grassroots level to identify financially challenged students and out-of-school youth, enabling their active participation in the programs of the provincial government such as educational assistance and government internships.
Delta said without good and reliable data, the provincial government will not be able to adequately serve the needs of their constituents. He then encouraged all local officials and government workers to help the Capitol in creating working database along these lines.
Meanwhile, Vice Governor Lilia "Nanay" Pineda urged the Sangguniang Kabataan officials to “work together to attain a drug-free province. We are here for you to help in your upcoming projects for our fellow Cabalens.”
Caption
ALL-TIME HIGH. Quarry income from Mt. Pinatubo’s sand and rocks in the whole of 2023 rises to all-time high of P1.056B in 2023 under the leadership of Governor Dennis “Delta” Pineda. (Photo by WL)
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