BENGUET Board Member Robert Namoro is standing firm on the validity of the quarantine law as he denied the imposition of confiscatory regulatory fees.
"In quarantine, we are rendering service, we are inspecting the goods, we are inspecting the papers, we are going to sanitize to complete the service we are doing and the collection of samples kung may disease iyong mga animal, those are the services na gagawin, hindi tayo basta naniningil. Ang keyword there is the service we are rendering in exchange for a very very minimal regulatory fee," he added.
Namoro also responded to the plea of traders, who claimed that the imposition of fees remains unreasonable and illegal as this violates DILG Memo No. 2017-23 which suspends the LGUs' imposition and collection of illegal fees and taxes.
"If we will go over the ordinance, its purpose is to mainly promote public health, safety or welfare and protect the interest of the local animal and farming industries and to ensure quality and disease-free animals and fish in the province. There should be no more imposition of exorbitant fees if we can present a quarantine certificate duly issued by Department of Agriculture or any of its attached agencies or bureaus to prove that our goods are quality and disease-free. But sad to say that our quarantine certificate is not honored and inspection fees are still imposed against us," expressed the traders from fish, hog and chicken sector from Baguio City who sought for the immediate intervention of Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año.
During several provincial board sessions, the collection of fees in the quarantine law set to suffice the salaries of the 33 quarantine officers, the implementation of the ordinance and suffice possible cases of outbreak of disease.
"We read the memorandum coming from the DILG and it is to our belief that quarantine regulation is not covered. We are mandated to pass an ordinance for the quarantine in the province and for the regulation, mayroon naman sa local government code that you can still impose regulatory fees na kahit wala doon sa Local Government Code as long as it is not confiscatory, it is not excessive and you are rendering a service to the province," added Namoro.
The alderman added traders passing Benguet have to comply with the provisions of the law.
"We are separate from Baguio. Ang mga traders dumadaan sila sa teritoryo and siyempre iyong consumers are from Benguet also so paano natin mapoprotektahan ang Benguet kung exempted and Baguio for that effect," said Nomoro.
For every checkpoint, veterinary team leaders will be deployed in the five main entry checkpoints along the Palispis-Aspiras Highway (Marcos Highway), Naguilian Road (Sablan), Kennon Road (Tuba), Benguet-Nueza Viscaya Road (Bokod), and Mt. Ptovince -Benguet Road-Bangao (Buguias).
Checkpoints in Tubao-San Pascual Road (Tuba), Benguet-Ilocos Sur (Mankayan) and other entry points going to the province will also be established.
"They should also understand that our purpose is health hazard, not necessarily on the income of the province. Kung titignan natin iyong fees, I believe is very very minimal naman," he added.
Governor Crescencio Pacalso has expressed that all activities of the government are only to recoup the cost of implementing such service.
"We are doing that, so we are able to pay the people assigned in the areas in a 24-hour duty," said Pacalso.
Namoro added the proposed ordinance reducing the regulatory fees of the quarantine law is up for third and final reading.
Also, the board member mentioned suspension of the violation for quarantine law remain until the final approval of the amendment of the ordinance.
