• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The defunct Maricalum Mining Corp. (MMC), which used to operate the Bulata Port in Cauayan, Negros Occidental, owes the Cauayan municipal government P90 million in taxes, Mayor John Rey Tabujara said Saturday.
Tabujara said he received information that the provincial government of Negros Occidental won its case against MMC two months ago.
“From there, we can start by collecting taxes (from MMC),” Tabujara, who led the 1st Bamboo Festival in Cauayan during the weekend, said.
He noted that the uncollected P90 million taxes is long overdue.
MMC reportedly stopped its operations in 2001.
The municipal government has been asking help from Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson in reviving the Bulata Port to boost its economy.
“In order for us to have a big income, we need industrialization,” Tabujara said.
He added that representatives of Tsuneishi, a Japanese firm, has already met with him several times as they are interested in putting up an “export port”, not a shipbuilding facility, at Bulata Port.
Tabujara acknowledged that there are a lot of issues to consider, especially the environmental impacts, since it is located near Danjugan Island, which is a marine sanctuary.
“I need the support of the province,” he said.
The mayor said if the export port project pushes through, it will boost the economy of Cauayan, creating additional jobs for Cauayanons.
Tabujara also said that the 45-hectare Bulata Port has many claimants now, with the numerous beach resorts being established in the area.
Cauayan, as a first-class municipality, has a national tax allocation of P540 million.
The mayor said that although they are qualified for land area and population requirements, they cannot apply for cityhood since their local income is only about P40 million annually and the requirement should be P100 million. | GB
