Caraga LGUs benefit from mining tax, fees
BUTUAN CITY – Mining firms’business taxes and other regulatory fees directly help two local government units (LGUs) in the Caraga Region accomplish their projects.
In separate statements on Monday, the LGUs of Claver in Surigao del Norte and Cagdianao in Dinagat Islands said the payments boost their revenues which they utilize to fund various development programs.
In Claver, the Taganito Mining Corporation turned over PHP72.2 million on Jan. 19, representing local business tax and other regulatory fees.
On the same day, the Cagdianao LGU reported the PHP29,571,035.18 payment made by the Cagdianao Mining Corporation – Nickel Asia Corporation.
The taxes collected from the mining company will help improve public services and provide livelihood to poor farmers, fisherfolk and the other sectors of the town, according to the Cagdianao LGU.
Aid for flood-hit areas in Mati City
Meanwhile, flood-hit families in the host communities of Hallmark Mining Corporation (HMC) in Mati City, Davao Oriental received food aid in a series of distribution activities conducted over the weekend and on Monday.
In a statement Monday, HMC community relations manager Arvin Carlom said 284 families or 1,704 individuals were directly affected by flooding since last week.
Mati City and the rest of Davao Oriental experienced light to heavy rains on Jan. 18 and 19 caused by the shear line.
The affected families received five kilos of rice, assorted canned goods, noodles, milk, coffee, sugar, and biscuits, hygiene kits, toothpaste, bath soaps and detergent bars.
In addition, the HMC denied an earlier report that 300 of their workers were trapped on the night of Jan. 18 in the Salincomot area in Sitio Magum, Barangay Macambol.
“They (250 miners) were only stranded for a short period due to adverse weather conditions which brought floods and damaged access roads leading back to our camp in Sitio Magum,” HMC said in a statement.
The company said 114 of their stranded miners were sent home the same night while the rest opted to remain at the mine site and camped on higher grounds. (PNA)