TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Philippines (PIA) — The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) in Eastern Visayas was able to collect about P14.36 Million through Oplan Kandado in 2010. BIR Director Alert Alocilja said the BIR in Eastern Visayas padlocked 24 business establishments all over Region 8 through Oplan Kandado last year.

However, all 24 business establishments are now open because they have already complied with and corrected the understatement in their taxable sales or receipts, Alocilja said.

The BIR's Oplan Kandado project is based on Section 115 of the National Internal Revenue Code as amended under declaration of sale for establishments that failed to issue receipts or invoices by a value added tax-registered taxpayer who patronizes its products and understatement of taxable sales or receipts by 30 percent.

Under the law, the temporary closure of the establishments shall be for the duration of not less than five days and shall be lifted only upon compliance with whatever requirements are prescribed by the Commissioner in the closure order.

The campaign, Alocilja said, is an intensive one which seeks to padlock businesses with unpaid tax dues, as well as those engaged in illegal practices such as failure to register, understatement of taxable sales by more than 30 percent and the refusal to issue receipts.

CLEANER CEBU CITY DESIRED IN 2011

CEBU CITY, Philippines (PNA) – Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama hopes for a cleaner city in 2011, saying his administration has been working hard to achieve this.

Rama said his administration has reestablished the rule of law by putting a stop to vigilante-style killings in his first six months as mayor.

City Hall, he said, has also focused on solving the problems of traffic and garbage collection around the clock, as well sent the signal that errant workers will not be tolerated.

“Carbon used to be a jungle before. It has not completely changed yet, but it looks better now and its alleys and streets are now passable. People are no longer afraid to go there,” Rama said. His most significant accomplishment for the year, by his own reckoning, is changing how people perceive the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC). It now has an atmosphere of hope, he said.

The previous administration planned to sell the hospital, but Rama was able to convince his predecessor, Rep. Tomas Osmeña (Cebu City, South District), to let him handle the CCMC. Rama admitted he still has to address red tape in City Hall, as paperwork for asphalting, paving, and street lighting projects is still in the processing stage.

RESPONSIBLE BANKING BROUGHT TO DUMAGUETE

Dumaguete City, Philippines (PIA) -- The Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) has reached another milestone in its nationwide campaign on responsible banking as it successfully conducted the Be a Wise Saver roadshow at the Silliman University in Dumaguete CitY recently.

The PDIC-led advocacy roadshow, participated in by some 800 banking majors and other college students and their teachers from nine tertiary schools, aims to educate the public on basic banking know-how that help make for more informed financial decisions such as in the choice of bank, and the choice of appropriate banking products.

The Be a Wise Saver Campaign promotes the 7 Habits of a Wise Saver which aims to protect savers from fraudulent schemes.