KIDAPAWAN CITY – Some P33.4 million from the royalty tax levied on the geothermal power generated by the Energy Development Corporation (EDC) from Mount Apo is still available for use by the provincial government of North Cotabato, according to the provincial board.

The money, according to Cotabato 2nd District Board Members Jose Tejada and Noel Baynosa, chair and co-chair of the Committee on Infrastructure and Energy and Baynosa, respectively, is still intact at the Department of Energy (DoE) since last year.

They said they verified such information at the DoE office. Tejada said North Cotabato, host province of the Mount Apo geothermal power plants, is entitled to a P1 per kilowatt/hour subsidy, along with the city and the village where the power facilities are located.

It was learned that 25 percent of the P1 allocation goes to the development and livelihood fund; another 25 percent is allotted for the reforestation, watershed management, and health and environment enhancement fund; and the other half goes to the electrification fund. (Malu Cadelina Manar)

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NCPW poster contest slated

PAGADIAN CITY (PIA 2) – To promote awareness on the importance of crime prevention, the Region 9 office of the National Police Commission (Napolcom 9) through the Inter-agency Technical Working Committee will hold a poster making contest on September 1 at the city gymnasium.

Napolcom Regional Director Joseph D. Gonzalo said the contest is one of the lined up activities in the week-long celebration of the National Crime Prevention Week (NCPW). The contest will be participated in by the elementary pupils, high school and college students in the city.

On September 6, a seminar-workshop on drug abuse and prevention control will be conducted in one of the schools in the city, wherein students, out-of-school youths and Sangguniang Kabataan chairpersons of the 54 villages in this city were invited to attend.

The youth sector's involvement in crime prevention is being encouraged by the Napolcom for them not to be victims in crime and illegal drugs.

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Gov't launches tax info drive

KORONADAL CITY (PIA) – In an effort to educate taxpayers, disseminate information on taxation, and encourage participation in public information, the Region 12 office of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA 12) and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) are conducting the second leg of a series of information campaigns on taxes and taxation in Cotabato City and Kidapawan City in North Cotabato next week.

The information campaign started here on July 28. The activities in Cotabato and Kidapawan are scheduled on August 31 and September 2, respectively.

“The information campaign is being undertaken in support to President Benigno Simeon Aquino III’s thrust to intensify revenue collections and other related matters to solve the budgetary deficit of the government,” PIA 12 Director Olivia Sudaria said.

PIA invited members of the local media, information officers of government line agencies and local government units, and local officials to attend the lectures and open forums where issues pertaining to tax measures and taxation processes are discussed.

During these forums, participants are encouraged to help the government in explaining to the public the responsibility and duty to pay their obligations.