TUBA, Benguet – The municipal government will prioritize the immediate settlement of existing boundary disputes with neighboring municipalities in Benguet, La Union and Pangasinan to be able to ascertain the actual land area of the municipality and help increase its Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) from the national government.
Mayor Ignacio Rivera said one of the major priorities of his administration is to put an end to the boundary disputes involving the town with that of Itogon, Benguet; San Manuel, Pangasinan, Sison, Pangasinan and Pugo, La Union.
“We want to establish the definitive land area of Tuba that is why we are bullish to settle our existing boundary disputes with neighboring municipalities. We have initiated informal talks with our counterparts and we are happy to learn that they are also open to putting an end to such disputes,” Rivera stressed.
The local chief executive also learned from his counterparts that almost all of them are open for an amicable settlement of the disputed areas which remain idle to allow the concerned municipalities to get their rightful share from the IRA.
Under existing rules and regulations in the computation of the IRA of local governments, the areas that are the subject of boundary disputes will be deducted from the overall land area of the contending parties and will not be released to the parties until such time that the disputes are settled either amicably or by order of the court and competent quasi-judicial bodies and recognized by the parties.
Rivera explained it is best for concerned local officials to have an open mind in resolving the boundary disputes so that it will be easier for all of them to formulate the solutions necessary to end to such disputes.
According to him, Tuba is already a first-class municipality and what is left to be done is settle its land area so it gets its rightful share of the IRA to fund the implementation of more development projects in the locality and enhance the delivery of services, especially to their constituents in the remote villages of the town.
Earlier, Tuba entered into an agreement with Itogon relative to its existing boundary dispute for the 50-50 sharing of the national wealth tax paid by the Philex Mining Corporation while efforts are underway to settle their boundary dispute either through the amicable settlement or upon order of the court.
Rivera expressed confidence that with the frequent meetings among concerned local officials, a significant development will transpire in the coming months once agreements on boundaries shall concluded.
He appealed to concerned residents in the municipality to understand the efforts of the local government in ending the existing boundary disputes because the fruits of these will redound be the people.
By HENT
