MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews/13 April) – The City Government of Malaybalay may get close to P1 billion from the national government, if the Supreme Court decides favorably on a petition it filed along with other local government units.
The amount is part of the roughly P500 billion in revenues due to various local government units from 1992 to 2012 that was not included in the computation of the internal revenue allotment, according to the petition filed on January 10 by Batangas 2nd district Rep. Hermilando Mandanas.
City councilor Roland Deticio told MindaNews Wednesday the amount has accumulated over 10 years from Bureau of Customs collections not accounted for in the city’s IRA.
Deticio said the city council passed a resolution last month authorizing Mandanas to represent the city as lead petitioner.
Mandanas, who met with local officials during the Kaamulan Festival last month, filed a petition against the national government for certiorari, prohibition and mandamus with prayer for preliminary mandatory Injunction and/or temporary restraining order on the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2012.
He alleged in his 23-page petition that the national government misappropriated the IRA for local governments, in particular a P60.
75-billion appropriations for capital outlays.
Deticio, chair of the council’s committee on codification, rules and laws, said a favorable decision will enable the city to receive back payments of almost P1 billion or roughly 150 percent of its 2011 IRA.
The respondents of the petition included Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa, Finance Secretar Cesar V. Purisima, Budget Secretary Florencio H. Abad, Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Jacinto-Henares, and National Treasurer Roberto B. Tan.
Malaybalay received P728.9 million this year, or P36.9 million less than the IRA last year of P765.9 Furthermore, Malaybalay expects to lose P60 million more due to the creation of 16 new cities across the country.
Deticio said that with the uncollected IRA, the national government should have not reduced the city’s revenue share. (Walter I. Balane/MindaNews)
