Now that it’s the month of January, we are reminded and obliged to visit our Municipal Treasurer’s Office to settle our obligations to renew our Business Permit or Mayor’s permit and pay tax to our local government. Still, some consider this a burden.
But more than paying tax, as a productive and law-abiding citizen, we are aware of our community’s needs and government programs through the stewardship and leadership of our trusted elective and appointive public officials. So we willingly pay taxes and involve ourselves, being confident that we have existing laws to safeguard our government funds and resources and our leaders being accountable for it.
As taxpayers, we know in truth that in return, it is for our benefit and progress. In fact, we must be thankful that there is no issue of heavy exaction in out municipality. Our local legislators even craft ordinances for the less-privileged and the middle class to have an option to pay some of our business permit and franchise in quarterly installments, such as the MTOP franchise and Mayor’s Permit. And to our honesty as taxpayers, we enjoy the benefit of peace of mind in avoiding penalties and consequences imposed by law.
Coincidentally, every third week and every third Sunday of January, we celebrate National Bible Week and National Bible Sunday, respectively, through a Presidential Decree. And providentially, to start our new year with our desired “blessings” for the whole year, we are provided with a portion of the Scriptures to guide us with the Divine Author expecting us to ponder with our voluntary obedience treating us like His children as He introduced Himself to us as a Father with His prepared reward.
“Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are approved by God. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they (government authorities) are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore ti all their dues; taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.” (Romans 13:1.6-7 of the New King James Version of the Bible)
This simple sort of advice, if not a command from the Scriptures, will erase our doubts and will strengthen our faith as Christians as we make His Divine Words an inspiration and motivation for paying tax, aside from the law of the land or human ordinance.
As a Virac-born resident who is concerned and aware of “needed funds” for our municipality’s progess and needs, may I humbly encourage Mayor Sinforoso “Posoy” Sarmiento and the LGU Virac to visit and make effective and impose the long-time disregarded and neglected Municipal MTOP Ordinance Sec. 3F.03.q (Registration of Privately Owned Tricycle P150.00, Motorcycle P50.00, Stickers P50.00.”
The said registration of privately-owned tricycles and motorcycles should be directly paid to the Municipal Treasurer’s Office with issuance of sticker separate from LTO registration and its sticker, categorized as Road User’s Tax (RUT) for the maintenance of roads and traffic signs, utilized both by private and for-hire vehicles.
As a private citizen and taxpayer, I support the Ordinance for the following personal observations and reasons:
- It is an approved Municipal Ordinance that underwent public hearing and publication without opposition and should therefore be imposed.
- An estimate of more or less 4,000 privately-owned tricycles and motorcycles of Virac residents if registered will generate nearly a million pesos that can be used to improve the RHU health services in the procurement of medicines or perhaps for Gogon River rehabilitation program, or hire additional RHU nurses, traffic enforcers or aides, that eventually create jobs, aside from better traffic management and traffic signs, improved health services and cleanliness in our community.
- The residency or identity of a private motorist can easily be identified during accidents with a sticker attached provided by the LGU, and will further deter crimes and unlawful activities by perpetrators using private motorcycle or tricycle, such as robbers or drug couriers.
- A number of privately-owned tricycles or motorcycles in Virac are actually utilized unnoticed for income generating activities such as fetching pupils and students with monthly payment-arrangement with busy parents. Some with six (6) pupils, they daily fetch amounting to P9,000 monthly payment, for P1,500 per pupil. Registering their privately-owned tricycle that generate income would at least contribute to our local economy, for fairness.
- The implementation of the Ordinance will provide proper accounting of number of vehicles in Virac. If the Ordinance will not be imposed, then it should be amended and removed in the MTOP Ordinance.
Special thanks and commendation to Virac Municipal Councilor Reynante Bagadiong for crafting helpful and better ordinance as current Chairman of Public Utility and Transportation.
“Continue to shine Virac!”
(Sgd.) Jun Obusan-Torres, Taxpayer
WGS PH 3, Lot 8 Block 9, Bigaa, Virac, Catanduanes
09099924698