Valencia City holds trade fair for holidays

The city government will hold a trade fair to mark the celebration of Christmas and the city's charter day to help boost local entrepreneurs.

Dr. Pol Murillo, presiding officer of the city tourism core group, told radio station DXDB on November 20 the initiative offers a big shift from past celebrations.

"There are big changes (from the past's Bonggahan sa Valencia). We will have direction. We will give chance for small entrepreneurs through our trade fair," Dr. Murillo said.

The core group works with the office of Councilor Baby Mabao, who chairs the city council's committee on tourism.

The trade fair, to be held at the City Oval, will attempt to showcase Valencia City's products from local small medium entrepreneurs, he added.

"Sayang ang ilang mga product (It's sorry their products) were not showcased. We need to support the small scale business community," he said.

Dr. Murillo said since they would spend for the celebration they would rather also provide opportunities for livelihood.

He cited the products of local entrepreneurs that did not figure in trade fairs and promotions.

He mentioned products such as a flour product of students from the St. Augustine Institute of Technology (SAIT) derived from sweet potato and lutia and a garland product from corn cover.

He also cited locally-made slippers, delicacies, and other crafts.

He said the trade fair focuses on Valencia-made products of local entrepreneurs, craftsmen, processors, and those coming from barangays.

"This will not only benefit the processors but also the producers of raw materials," he said.

But Dr. Murillo called on interested parties to enlist as there was no list of the city's products.

The trade fair also features a learning hub, a venue where daily business and enterprise seminars and trainings will be conducted.

Dr. Murillo said anyone interested to learn putting up a business could attend.

The trade fair will run a total of 45 days from December 1 to January 15 with a big opening on December 8.

The "Bonggahan sa Valencia" during the time of former mayor Jose Galario Jr. showcased booths lavished with Christmas lights and decors. He said the city government foots the bills of the booths built by different agencies.

Dr. Murillo said this time they would build smaller booths to be raffled to interested exhibitors, who will be the one to improve the booths.

The city celebrates its charter day anniversary on January 12. Dr. Murillo said they will allow a three-day "closing sale" before wrapping up.

Dr. Murillo cited other activities for the celebration including a beauty pageant dubbed Ms. Tourism search from the city's 31 barangays.

The city government has earmarked a budget of P2 million for the celebration.

He said they moved the fair's venue from the Plaza Rizal to the City Oval to anticipate the preparation for the construction of the Valencia City – Davao del Norte highway.

Valencia City eyes P300-M loan for new market

Alas, the Valencia City Government is planning to obtain a P300 million loan to rebuild its central public market after the fire in July this year, Aira Potestas, Valencia City administrator said.

An official of the Development Bank of the Philippines in Malaybalay City confirmed the city government's application for a P300 million loan.

Potestas said City Hall plans to construct a three-storey replacement building.

He said the future central public market will house the wet market on the ground
floor, the dry market on the second floor, and a food court and sports and
recreation amenities on the third floor. He said the structure will also include
an indoor park for the public's relaxation.He said they also want to develop the
old terminal and the rehabilitation of the Farmers' Market, which serves as the
city's public market for now.

Potestas also cited initiatives of the city government to avail of special projects from the national government and the Priority Development Assistance Projects of senators and other officials.He said they sent out letters to the offices of senators Manuel Villar and Miriam Santiago and also from the Department of Interior and Local Government.He said the Office of the President could possibly hand in at least P50 million to augment the loan for the public market.

He said they are also working on the documentary requirements to claim the P20 million building insurance of the ill-fated public market.

As an add-on to rebuild the public market, they also plan to build skywalks to connect the public market with department store Gaisano Valencia and other key points in market site.

The add-ons are not included in the loan budget.

Bukidnon eyes sand, gravel, mineral code

Bukidnon Governor Jose Ma. R. Zubiri Jr. has pushed for the passing of the provincial sand and gravel mineral code as a means to protect the environment and increase revenue."It is an initiative to regulate use of minerals, protect the environment, and expand local revenue base with the imposition of regulatory fees and charges," Zubiri said in his budget speech on October 30.

Zubiri is likely to get the nod of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (provincial board).

Glenn Peduche, chair, provincial board committee on environmental protection, told this reporter on November 5 they are already preparing the proposed legislation and would likely tackle it after the board's recess in time for its hosting of the 8th Mindanao Island Conference of the Provincial Board Members League of the Philippines on November 12 to 14.

Zubiri has called on the board to "fast-track the adoption" of the code.
Peduche said Zubiri stressed that the provincial government's opposition to large-scale mining must be emphasized in the proposed legislation.

Zubiri also cited in his speech that the Joint Executive-Legislative Council must prioritize a revisit of the Provincial Tax Ordinance of 1992.

"All revenue sources within our authority and jurisdiction must be thoroughly
explored," he said.

Peduche said a review of the tax ordinance is also timely since it was good for the situation 16 years ago.
The Zubiri administration has vowed to increase the provincial government's revenue next year with five strategies to achieve revenue targets while eyeing lesser dependence on the internal revenue allotment (IRA).

The provincial government also vowed to keep budget controls and to prioritize expenditures.
Zubiri vowed to pursue "intensified tax collection" for real property tax issuing a strong warning against delinquent taxpayers.

He also plans to implement "strict monitoring of revenues" derived from sand and gravel, mineral resources, veterinary and other regulatory fees to "optimize the income base and increase collection".

In 2007, the province earned more from tax on delivery vans and trucks at P1.87 million than from tax on sand, gravel, and other quarry products computed only at P1.20 million.
The province's income from veterinary fees and charges at P1.9 million is higher than its income from small scale mining fees and charges (P447, 078) and from sand and gravel fees and charges (P200,595).

A according to the Certified Statement of Receipts endorsed by the Local Finance Committee to the provincial board, the province earned at least P60.19 million outside of its IRA.
More than half of that income came from tax revenues at P30.7 million, P24.9 million of that real property tax and P2.5 million property transfer tax.

The province earned only P121,100 from professional tax, P28,382 from franchise tax, and only P16,150 from amusement tax.

Zubiri said he would pursue collaboration efforts with municipal treasurers and assessors adding "optimum collective goals will be set and appropriate incentives shall be provided to top performers".

Malaybalay clears way for P225-M public market complex

Malaybalay's city council approved last month a resolution on the extension of the term of contract for the P225-million three-phase public market.

The city council passed the resolution on October 21, almost three months after H.R. Lopez Co. Inc., the contractor, asked for a nine-month extension after work was suspended for months, the Central Mindanao Newswatch reported this week.

City officials, however, said the contractor resumed construction work on August 15 even without the city council’s official go-signal "at its own risk".

It was not known if the decision was unanimous but city councilors indicated in earlier interviews they would likely decide by consensus, triggering a series of "question hours" with representatives from the city engineer’s office, city legal office, the firm, and other groups.

City legal consultant and retired judge Jesus Barroso earlier said the city could opt to either approve the proposed extension or go into the tedious process of rebidding and possibly litigation.

Councilor Manuel Dinlayan, chair of the committee on infrastructure, zoning and land use, had also hinted they might approve the extension but that the payment scheme would be itemized not lump sum and that there should be no escalation of prices.

The resolution was not specific on these conditions but provided that "the terms and conditions of the contract shall remain the same". Read a news story about this here.