City fails to receive road users tax

By Maricar M. Calubiran

The city government did not receive the P1.4 million road users tax as promised by the national government for the past years.

Mayor Jerry P.Treñas

Treñas reaction was in wake of reports on the release of the P2.2 billion road users tax. The issue on the road users tax popped up after opposition lawmakers complained about unequal releases among the congressional districts.

The solons claimed the release of the road users tax was meant to favor members of the House of Representatives to dissuade them from endorsing the impeachment case against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Treñas said there was already an allocation of P200,000 for the city but it went to another local government unit for unknown circumstances.

There are already moves to have the fund re-channeled to Iloilo City. Treñas said the fund is different from the budget released to the engineering districts.

The road users tax came from the payment for vehicles registration. The releases were based on the recommendation of the Road Board which is under the Department of Public Works and Highways.

He added that recently the city was again promised to receive another P1.2 million from the road users tax. However, until this date no road users tax was released to the city government. It is the Department of Budget and Management that has all the details of the Special Allocation Release Orders to different engineering districts.

The mayor intends to spend the city's share on the road users tax in the construction of roads in Jaro and along Delgado area.