MIMAROPA

Bataraza generated P64M tax from mining firm

By Victoria Asuncion S. Mendoza

Thursday 19th of April 2012

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan, April 19 (PIA) -- The municipality of Bataraza, here, recently received P64.62 million as first quarter payment for the real property tax (RPT) of the Coral Bay Nickel Corporation (CBNC).

Anita Mangigin, Municipal Planning and Development Officer, said that the dispensation of the realty tax payment shall go to the Special Education Fund comprising 50 percent of the total to be equally divided between the provincial and municipal school boards. The other half of the tax payment shall go to the development projects of the local government units distributed as follows: Bataraza municipality 40 percent, Palawan province 35 percent, and Barangay Rio Tuba 25 percent.

Mangigin said that the additional funds would help the municipality in accomplishing its programs particularly in the improvement of school facilities and teacher development and in the delivery of other interventions as contained in their Annual Investment Plan.

Vice Mayor Antonio Sadongdong received the check payment witnessed by the other local officials, the employees of the municipal government and Palawan 2nd district Provincial Board Member Ernesto Llacuna in a ceremonial hand over recently.

CBNC operates a hydrometallurgical processing plant in Barangay Rio Tuba, Bataraza to produce nickel and cobalt sulfide from existing stockpiles of low grade nickel ores from the Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corporation. Rio Tuba is located at the far southern end of mainland Palawan about 260 kilometers from Puerto Princesa City. (LBR/VSM - PIA 4B, Palawan)