Reduction of fees up for quarantine law
BENGUET Board Member Robert Namoro has introduced revisions for the quarantine law.
This after the business sector in Benguet including Baguio City sought for the amendment of the law including the removal of regulatory fees.
On Monday, Namoro during the board session said they will only reduce regulatory fees and reiterated the validity of the ordinance.
“We talked with the Provincial Veterinary Office to adjust in order that the collection will just suffice the salaries and wages of the 33 quarantine officers, and a little amount for the operation of the ordinance and for in cases there would be an outbreak of the disease,” he said.
“We are collecting because of the services we are doing in our territorial jurisdiction to prevent diseases or any unscrupulous businessmen that is why we stood our ground we are going to reduce but not a total exemption or removal of the fees.”
In addition, Namoro said the reduction of fees remain as rough estimate made together with the Provincial Veterinarian also presented during the public hearing.
The proposed ordinance amending the quarantine regulations on second reading and
will be further tackled in the next provincial board meeting.
Series of meetings and consultation were conducted between the Baguio City Council with concerned stakeholders and Benguet Provincial Board relative to the implementation of the ordinance.
The city government through a resolution indicates the approval of the recommendations of the committee on appropriations and finance contained in the 3rd endorsement on March 5 relative to the quarantine ordinance to cause the immediate repeal of the ordinance imposing the fees and charges.
Moreover, the city government added although the purpose of the ordinance is to promote public health, safety and welfare, the fees collected from the time of its implementation on February 1 to the present which per estimate of manifested payments made by suppliers should now amount to more than P2 million will make view of the ordinance as revenue raising and not regulatory.