By Ric V. Obedencio
The imposition of more than 100% increase of entrance fee from P10 to P25 per head when viewing the famed Chocolate Hills at Buenos Aires, Carmen, has been opposed by various sectors. Some described it as “excessive.â€
Provincial Board Member Ester Corazon J. Galbreath, tourism committee chairperson of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP), expressed concerned over the said imposition, citing complaints she received from tour operators and guides.
During the special session last Friday, she questioned whether the imposition was duly approved by the SP last year.
But the SP was told that the increase of toll fee was already incorporated in the Municipal Revenue Code of Carmen town, hence the imposition.
Galbreath lamented that the toll fee should have been treated separately by lawmakers of Carmen considering that Chocolate Hills complex is partly owned by the provincial government.
For his part, Vice-Gov. Julius Caesar Herrera, who presided over the session, stressed that cautioned the SP members, especially the review committee, that “they should carefully review the measures†before they approve them.
Herrera stressed that the imposition stands because the Carmen Revenue Code is already approved by SP.
Provincial Board Member Josil Trabajo said in a separate interview that he agreed with the vice-governor’s observation. Trabajo was former vice-mayor of Carmen town.
Galbreath said in an interview that the SP appeared to be “outsmarted†by Carmen lawmakers in inserting the toll fee provision in the municipal Revenue Code of Carmen.
The issue on management of the Chocolate Hills comlex, where the hotel, restaurant and viewing deck are housed, remained unresolved since the expiration of the contract between Carmen and province.
Under the contract, the provincial government got 30% and Carmen, 70%, of the share of incomes derived from the complex operations.
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