Quarry revenues in Pampanga reach PhP1-billion mark

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, — Revenues from quarry operations in the province reached PhP1.36 billion as of February 2021.
According to reports, the PhP1,036,607,994.00 revenue from quarry taxes, and sand and gravel fees, was collected from July 2019 until February 2021.
This consists of PhP150 sand tax; PhP250 administrative fee; PhP30 weighing scale fee; sand and gravel permit; and motor vehicle and heavy equipment accreditation, including fines and penalties.
By month, the highest collection was made in February 2021, which grossed PhP72.8 million.
With this, Governor Dennis Pineda thanked the quarry associations and the provincial treasurer’s office for the surge in collection and proper regulation of the industry.
“The amount we collected proved that the monitoring and collecting system we put in place is efficient. Taxing according to actual volume hauled is right. This also showed that quarry operators and haulers are also cooperating with our policies,” Pineda said.
Tolentino and Vibro and Quarry Sand)
He said high collections bring benefits to the communities, adding more funds to Pampanga’s local income for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Among the province’s initiatives to respond to COVID-19 include setting up of quarantine facilities, establishing the Balik Pilipinas, Balik Pampanga program for returning Kapampangans, putting up of mobile and fixed swabbing centers, converting permanent evacuation centers as isolation areas, improving transportation fleet and supporting public transport, and monitoring of testing laboratories.
Also, enforcing safety protocols, financing the medical treatment of indigent patients, passing local ordinances in support of Inter-Agency Task Force rules, purchasing of vaccines, and preparing for the vaccination of medical and security frontliners.
Meanwhile, Porac Sand and Gravel Quarry Operators Association Inc. donated two ambulances to the provincial government to boost the provincial healthcare program.
Republic Act 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991 distributes the sand tax at a 40-30-30 percent sharing to barangays, towns or cities and province, respectively. (PIA 3)