Island Garden City of Samal

The local government of the Island Garden City of Samal has been elated over last year’s performance of its Economic Enterprise Unit having posed a positive figure on its income for the first time since Samal has been created a city in 1998.

“For the longest time, finally, we have realized an income and not a loss on the operations of our government-owned facilities”, said Jaime Colas, officer-in-charge of the economic enterprise unit.

Last year’s economic enterprises attained a net income of P1,143,546.00 as compared to a loss of P400,786 in 2008. Major contributors to this achievement are toll fees from the operations of wharves and Kaputian Beach Park. Although other economic enterprise operations incurred losses, their performances were not as bad as the previous years.

“For the past ten years, the operations of these economic enterprises had been dismal. Net losses averaged P 1M every year. It is only last 2009 that (economic enterprise) operations hit a positive mark”, said Mayor Aniano Antalan.

The increase in collections was brought by the implementation of the new Economic Enterprise Revenue Code. Gross collection in 2009 amounted to P 6M compared to only P 3.6M in 2008; an increase in gross collection of P 2.4M or 68%.

To further improve its feat, the economic enterprise unit has started to embark on its plans and programs for this year which include the completion of new public toilets and a 5-room building to accommodate more beach-goers at the Kaputian Beach Park. It even has proposed to enhance security at the resort by hiring more security personnel that would go on shifts 24 hours a day.

The Philippine Human Resource Development Center (PHRDC), a training center that caters to seminars and other functions is also undergoing renovation.

The Economic Enterprise Unit also plans to improve the cemeteries in the three districts of the Island City. It intends to come up with a development plan for the new cemetery in Babak district; establish rates for mausoleum and garden type niches in Pahulayan, the cemetery in Samal district; while lot purchase for a new cemetery in Kaputian is in the offing.

Meanwhile, Samal’s local government unit has just recently concluded its Business One Stop Shop (BOSS). Spearheaded by the Licensing Division, BOSS aimed at processing business permit applications at the shortest possible time.

For the period January 5 to 20 this year, the office processed 1,776 business permit applications as compared to only 863 for the same period last year.

“The increase in the number of business permits dealt with this year is a clear indication that our clients have appreciated the time-saving component of the program. It also suggests that we have more business establishments in the island now”, licensing officer Elizabeth Luna said.

BOSS’ objective was to make it easier for clients to get new or even renewed permits, thus its framers targeted that a business permit would be released in thirty minutes. Although, the time frame was not achieved, what is apparent is that clients were pleased about the conduct of the program and that P 5.1M had been generated with the 12-day operation.

“I am very grateful to the business community for their unwavering support with regard to our thrust to improve our local income”, Mayor Antalan said.

The top five business tax payees for the year 2010 are Anflocor, Central Warehouse, Paradise Beach Resort, Davao Central Convenience Store, and Filinvest. (IGaCoS PIO/nosadaq/ mta)