THE PROVINCE of Ilocos Sur will get the biggest share from the proceed of the RA 7171 Virginia tobacco excise tax fund in Fiscal Year 2020 while the province of Isabela will receive the highest share from the Burley and Native tobacco excise tax fund pursuant to RA 8240.
In the Local Budget Memorandum (LBM) No. 86 released by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on December 14, 2022, it showed that the proceed for RA 7171 excise tax fund in 2020 was P15 billion and P4 billion was collected for the RA 8240 or the Burley and Native tobacco excise tax fund.
Of the P15 billion Virginia tobacco excise tax fund, Ilocos Sur has the biggest share with P9,277, 695,879; Abra with P2,033,256,602; Ilocos Norte with P1,882,003,748; and La Union with P1,817,625, 771.
In the provincial RA 7171 excise tax share, 70 percent will be distributed to the LGUs, and the 30 percent goes to the provincial local government.
In the LGU level, the top 10 municipalities with the biggest share from the RA 7171 tobacco fund are the following: Magsingal (Ilocos Sur), P764, 823,126; Candon City (Ilocos Sur), P656,446,632; Pilar (Abra), P650, 564,891; Cabugao (Ilocos Sur), P567,481,053; Balaoan (La Union), P529,265,776; Sinait (Ilocos Sur), P456,325,843; Sta. Cruz (Ilocos Sur), P414,084,062; San Juan (Ilocos Sur), P323,495,337: Pinili (Ilocos Norte), P298,838,814; and Burgos (Ilocos Sur), P298,473,560.
Meanwhile, the province of Isabela topped the excise tax share of those 18 provinces engaging on Burley and Native tobacco nationwide pursuant to RA 8240. Isabela has an excise tax share of P1,885,163,082.
Rounding up the top 10 LGU recipients of the Burley and Native tobacco excise tax fund collected in 2020 are the following: Quirino (Isabela), P169,614,784; Roxas (Isabela), P154,022,563; Aurora (Isabela), P149,625,636; Malig (Isabela), P102,374,263; Reina Mercedes (Isabela), P72, 580,611; Alcala (Pangasinan), P72,060,844; Ilagan City (Isabela), P 58,365,308; Narvacan (Ilocos Sur), P48, 074,000; Bauang (La Union), P44,166,807; and Laguindingan (Misamis Oriental), P40, 530,529.
In the LBM No. 86, signed by Secretary Amenan F. Pangandaman, it was stated that the volume of production and trade acceptances of beneficiary LGUs were based on the certifications issued by the National Tobacco Administration (NTA) and endorsed by the Department of Agriculture (DA).
The identification of the list of programs and projects to be implemented, the beneficiary LGUs shall, with the assistance of the DA and NTA, conduct public consultations with tobacco farmers duly identified by the NTA to determine the appropriate programs and projects beneficial to the said farmers.
The programs and projects to be implemented by the beneficiary LGUs using the tobacco excise tax fund should be included in their duly approved Local Investment Programs and Annual Investment Programs. (FGL/AMC)