LINGAYEN — An opinion of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) favors the town of Sison in its claim over Sitio Saguitlang in Barangay Labayug which is also being claimed by the town of Tuba, Benguet.

This was contained in a letter to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) from Leila Magda Rivera, acting director of the Local Government and Regional Coordination Bureau of DBM dated Nov. 6, 2017, in response to a letter dated October 24, 2017 of Atty. Verna Nava Perez, SP secretary.

Perez sought the opinion of DBM in relation to Provincial Resolution No. 610-2017 authored by both Board Members Rosary Perez-Tababa and Clemente Arboleda endorsing and supporting the intention of the municipality of Sison in asserting its territorial jurisdiction over Sitio Saguiotglang in Barangay Labayug.

The SP passed the resolution noting the resolution passed by the Sangguniang Bayan of Tuba claiming jurisdiction over Sitio Saguitlang in Barangay Labayug, where the Northern Cement Corporation (NCC) is extracting materials for the manufacture of cement.

In her letter to the Pangasinan SP, Rivera wrote: “DBM’s record show that per Fiscal Year 2001 Land Management Bureau certified Master list of Land Area, Sison has a land area of 81.88 square kilometers. The said land area has been used in computing the FY 2017 IRA (Internal Revenue Allotment) of the municipality consistent with Section 85 of the General Provisions of the FY 2017 General Appropriations Act.”

She said that “all valid adjustments, changes, modifications, or alterations in any of the factors affecting the computation of IRA that occurred or happened, including final and executory court decisions made effective, during the current fiscal year, shall only be considered and implemented by DBM in the subsequent fiscal tear from the receipt of DBM of the notice of said change x x x x”.

Rivera also cited an item in the Local Budget Memorandum Circular No. 74 dated June 15, 2016, as amended, which states “that the FY 2001 Master list of Land Area certified by LMB shall be the basis of consideration in the computation of the FY 2017 IRA allocation.”

Virtually assuring the town of Sison of the validity of its claim, Rivera said that the status quo is maintained until such time that the latest Master list of Land Area is validated and used as basis in computing the IRA allocation of LGUs or until valid adjustments and final and executory court decisions are made in the factors affecting the computation of allocation of LGUs, DBM is constrained from effecting any adjustment in the allocation of IRA shares of LGUs. (Leonardo Micua)

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