City of San Fernando ~ Executives from Nueva Vizcaya recently visited the Provincial Government of Pampanga mainly to follow the benchmark of Pampanga’s best practice on quarry industry hitting almost P2-billion since Governor Lilia Pineda elected to office.
Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office Chief Arthur Punsalan together with Provincial Administrator Andres S. Pangilinan Jr., Human Resource Management Office (HRMO) Head Amelia Bondoc and Provincial Public Employment Service Office (PESO) head Luningning Vergara welcomed Nueva Viscaya’s provincial delegation led by Atty. Voltaire B. Garcia, provincial legal officer.
They were toured around the provincial government to familiarize themselves about the different offices surrounding the capitol grounds.
Punsalan gave a brief background on the booming quarry industry of the province since the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991.
Punsalan told the delegation on the province’s quarry revenues that bolstered to P1.9 billion in October and is expected to reach P2 billion this month.
Punsalan also explained the significance of the mining regulation and tax ordinances implemented by the provincial government.
Nueva Vizcaya executives said the want emulate the practices of Pampanga when it comes to the implementation of mining regulation as they have also sand and gravel industry in their province. “ We want to follow the footsteps of Pampanga,” Garcia said.
With the quarry revenues, Pampanga Government has opened job opportunities for the Kapampangans, created good landscaping and generated local income invested for the improvement of infrastructures like construction of schools, markets and healthcare units.
The provincial government is now targeting the collection of around P3 billion even before the end of Pineda administration.
Ma. Reina Len G. Luna
