Board formed to look after amelioration funds

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña recently composed a board to look after the funds collected under the Accelerated Social Amelioration Program (ASAP).

Cebu City administrator Francisco Fernandez said Mayor Tomas Osmeña recently issued Executive Order 09-98 directing the constitution of the ASAP Board to implement the provisions of City Tax Ordinance 122.

The said ordinance, authored by councilor Jose Daluz III, increased the amelioration fees in entertainment establishments or so-called “sin tax” from P1 to P10 for every customer.

Daluz said the ordinance is intended to generate more funds that can be used for poverty reduction and social amelioration projects for women and children, specifically in health, nutrition and education.

But primarily he said, the board will identify recipients of the fund, but preferably these will go to programs for underprivileged children and women.

Instead of just P1 collected for every customer of night clubs, casinos, gambling establishments, fighting cockpits, karaoke clubs, massage parlors, beer houses, motels, drive-in, disco clubs and bars, the City will collect P10 if the ordinance is approved. He said the ordinance does not mean higher taxes for some establishments because those covered by social amelioration tax will no longer be covered by the amusement tax, which is 30 percent of their gross receipts.

The Board is composed of three members of the city council; Daluz who heads the Committee on Budget and Finance, councilor Lea Japson of the Committee on Women and Children and councilor Rodrigo Abellanosa of the Committee on Social Services.

 They will also be joined by the head of the Department of Social Services Catherine Yso and other sector representatives Ronaldo Diola of Dilaab Foundation, Evelyn Castro of Ramon Aboitiz Foundation and Anabeth Cuizon of the Cebu City Commission for the Welfare of the Protection of Children. — Ferliza C. Contratista/BRP (THE FREEMAN)