UP study warns against dividing CamSur

MANILA, Philippines - To drive home the point that dividing Camarines Sur into two regions will plunge the whole province into poverty, Camarines Sur Rep. Salvio Fortuno cited a study by a University of the Philippines-based think tank that said that a division “will economically weaken both CamSur and the new province.”

“The delivery of quality social services, possibly spawn new taxes plus mass lay-offs, and economically weaken both CamSur and the new province,” Fortuno said in a statement.

According to the study, residents of the new local government unit (LGU) carved out of Camarines Sur will bear the brunt of a divided CamSur.

“In terms of social services, they will receive less. They have little health care and other social services, during the three to five years following the birth of their new province,” the study said.

The ongoing study by the Center for Local and Regional Governance at the UP National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG) is being done by a research team led by Dr. Alex Brillantes.

“Moreover, the study by the NCPAG bared that the new province would need at least P280 million to put up its own Provincial Capitol and P465 million more for its administrative expenses in 2012 alone,” Fortuno said.

According to the study, CamSur may have to raise taxes and reorganize the Provincial Capitol because – if and when the bill becomes a law – it will be left with a smaller population to serve, a smaller land area to cover and a lower income – from revenues from the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) and real property taxes (RPT) – to support its delivery of services.

Fortuno strongly opposes House Bill 4728 – principally authored by Deputy Speaker Arnulfo Fuentebella of CamSur’s 4th district – that seeks to create a new province out of CamSur’s fourth and fifth districts to be called Nueva Camarines.