Mindanaotoday.com | NEDA-X leads review, validation of 2Q reg’l economic performance
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)-X convened anew with representatives of regional line agencies, local government units, and the private sector in the region to look into the second quarter regional economic situationer (QRES).
Performance indicators in the areas of agriculture, such as palay, corn, coconut, major crops, livestock and poultry, fish, and forest production, as well as non-agriculture, like investments, tourism, labor and employment, tax and customs collections, peace and security, air and sea traffic, telecommunication, electrification, and irrigation, were reviewed and validated during a roundtable discussion on QRES held via Zoom, August 29.
NEDA-X Chief Economic Development Specialist Archimedes Lazaro said the roundtable discussion is one way of assessing the overall performance of the regional economy and that the final report is a vital input in the monitoring of the implementation of programs, projects, and activities outlined in the Regional Development Plan.
The discussion, according to him, is also a means for evaluating what sectors are flourishing and what are lagging and needing more interventions.
Higher tax and customs collections
Although some indicators did not fare well during the quarter, tax and customs collections, however, showed positive performance for the reference period.
Based on the initial report gathered by NEDA-X, the region generated a total of P4.38 billion in tax revenues in the second quarter of 2023, an increase of 21.72% from its collections in the same period in 2022.
The BIR Revenue Region 16 attributed the positive performance to the intensified implementation of the Taxpayer Account Management Program and increased sales and service transactions, including government transactions.
The report from the BIR Revenue Region 16 also revealed that value-added taxes or VAT, which accounted for 30.27% of the total tax receipts of the region posted the biggest increase of 57.25%. Accordingly, this is mainly due to the relisting and transfer of some registered taxpayers from the BIR Large Taxpayers Division Office in Davao City to the BIR RR 16. Particularly, VAT and other payments of the DPWH-X have been transferred and recorded under the BIR Revenue Region 16.
In terms of collections by the Revenue District Offices, Cagayan de Oro accounted for the largest share of tax receipts at 46.2% or P2.02 billion, followed by Bukidnon at 19.9% or 869.42 million, and Iligan City at 16.6% or P725.92 million. Ozamiz City recorded P471.01 million while Gingoog City posted P290.65 million tax receipts.
For customs revenues, Northern Mindanao collected P9.69 billion in the second quarter of 2023, up by P572 million or 6.27% compared to the same period of 2022.
Accordingly, increases in Mindanao Container Terminal (MCT) Subport and Cagayan de Oro (CDO) Port, which accounted for almost 95% of the total collections, offset the decreases registered in the subports of Iligan and Ozamiz. MCT Subport and CDO Port collected P5.38 billion and P3.81 billion, respectively.
The Bureau of Customs-10 attributed the decline in the collections of Iligan Subport to the non-importation of rice while that of Ozamiz Subport was attributed to the reduction of importation service catered by the Subport because of the transfer of Seaoil Philippines to the Port of Zamboanga.
Sustaining internal security
Based on the initial report from the Philippine Army, no Communist Terrorist group (CTG)-initiated violent incident recorded in the second quarter of 2023 due to intensified focused military operations.
The Army also reported 23 beneficiaries of socioeconomic assistance under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) and Amnesty Program.
Moreover, the implementation of the Mobile Community Sustainability Support Program was sustained during the quarter. The said program supports the sustainment efforts in cleared areas to prevent recovery efforts of communist terrorist groups.
The final QRES will be posted on the NEDA-X website for public reference. (APB/PIA-10)
###