LEGAZPI CITY -- Local government units in Albay expressed elation on a bill filed recently in Congress that would grant direct benefits to local government units whose area with national wealth are being utilized and developed by person or private including government owned or control corporation.

        Albay Representative Al Francis Bichara (NP 2nd District) has filed House Bill 1380 which seeks to amend provision in the Local Government Code by requiring any person whether natural or juridical, engaged in the utilization and development of the national wealth in their respective area to directly remit the share directly to the local government units concerned which include among others provincial, city, town, and barangays.

        Bichara said under the present law, the share of local government units derive from the development of the national wealth are remitted to the national government depriving the LGUs to immediately pursue development projects arising from the remittances.

        Under Article 286 of the LGC the LGU share is supposed to be released automatically to the local government units and shall not be subject to literally holdback, he said.

        Bichara lamented that “in reality the LGUs has to beg for their share before it is released to them by the national government.”

        Because of this practice, LGUs have to differ the implementation of their respective development project until such time such share is released, “LGUs are confronted with a situation wherein the national wealth of a host community is being exploited and deprived of what is due for them,’’ Bichara said.

        He said the bill once enacted in Congress, would correct this inequity by mandating persons and corporations to directly remit the share to the LGUs concerned.

        He pointed out that “with the passage of the measure it would grant LGUs direct benefits in terms of revenues coming from income, royalty, including social, economic and educational benefits.”

        Bichara cited private and public corporations developing the natural wealth in Albay which include among others: The Rapu-Rapu Polymetallic Project own by the Austrialian mining firm Lafayette Philippines Incorporated, a mining firm extracting gold, copper, zinc and other minerals in the island town of Rapu-rapu; Goodfound Cement Plant in Camalig, Albay, owned by a Taiwanese corporation; Union Oil of California (Unocal) an American firm, generating geothermal energy in the geothermal rich town of Tiwi;

        The National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR) a government owned and control corporation producing energy in Tiwi, Albay; Philippine Natiol Oilc Corporation (PNOC) a power generating firm extracting geothermal energy in Bacon, Sorsogon and Manito, Albay.