Tax-evading pre-need company

The CAP controversy seems to have opened a can of worms in the pre-need industry, and the next one that might just hit the fan involves a company named after a frosty looking precious metal. According to Spybiz informants, there are many cases involving bouncing checks issued by the company to planholders but the company has managed to hide the fact from the public so far. But this might not be for long, because employees are also up in arms over the failure of the company to release their 13th month pay. SSS deductions have reportedly not been remitted since 2004, and employees are wondering where the money went. The same is also true for the tax deductions. In fact, a division head of one of the company’s provincial branches had filed a suit against the company for tax evasion, but the pre-need firm was reportedly a no-show during the hearings. If this company can’t even afford to pay the 13th month salary of its employees, how can the public trust it to pay its obligations to planholders who painstakingly pay for the policies with hard-earned money? The SEC should look into the practices of these pre-need firms and make sure the public is protected.

Solons urge deeper probe on Sun Cellular

Sun Cellular must be getting hugely unpopular with congressmen. Rep. Eduardo Veloso of the third district of Leyte added his voice to the growing number of solons urging the National Telecommunications Commission to be strict in implementing its rules and regulations and not to brush aside the complaints aired against Sun Cellular. Earlier, Rep. Marcelo Libanan and Rep. Catalino Figueroa of Eastern and Western Samar, respectively, had urged NTC to take into account public complaints about the telco’s substandard service to its client. The complaints range from the reported low connection rate of 38 percent by Sun Cellular and the automatic dropping of calls when callers reach the 15-minute mark. The NTC standard for all telecom firms is at least 93-percent rate of success on connection on the first try. The poor performance of the telco has been blamed on its 24/7 campaign which had lured many subscribers allegedly to the point that its facilities can no longer support the customer base. The company, which is a unit of the Gokongwei-owned Digital Mobile Philippines Inc. or Digitel, and had been issued provisional authority by the NTC to operate a mobile phone service, is also facing accusations of "predatory pricing" under its 24/7 promotional campaign.

Spy tidbiz: Kansas offering free land

Our mid-Western Eye-spies reported that communities in Kansas are desperate to survive, so they’re offering free land to attract residents, boost school enrollment and increase their tax base. The town of Marquette only has a population of 620 so to attract more settlers, it’s offering free land valued at $8,000 with the condition that settlers build a home in it and stay for at least a year. One of the reasons why many areas in Kansas‚ Great Plains become ghost towns is that the young leave and those who are left behind are mostly the old. Kansas mayors believe that the key to a small town’s survival is the school system, because every child will bring in more money to the school, which is considered to be a backbone of the community. The one family at a time approach seems to be working, for in less than a year, Marquette had increased its population by 100 people. Some party poopers disagree with the approach, though. Frank Popper, a Rutgers University urban studies professor who had spent years studying the decline in the Plains‚ population, said that the approach will not make any difference if the town has nothing to offer in terms of infrastructure to support the people. Popper suggested that the towns should just give up and give the land back to the buffalo.

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