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Higher entrance fees at Ilocos Norte tourist sites loom

By Leilanie Adriano

January 8, 2020, 2:47 pm

<p><strong>PUBLIC HEARING</strong>. Several taxpayers attend a public hearing on the proposed Revised Revenue Code of 2019 in Laoag City on Tuesday (Jan. 7, 2020). The last revision of the revenue code in Ilocos Norte was in 2013. <em>(Photo by Leilanie Adriano)</em></p>

PUBLIC HEARING. Several taxpayers attend a public hearing on the proposed Revised Revenue Code of 2019 in Laoag City on Tuesday (Jan. 7, 2020). The last revision of the revenue code in Ilocos Norte was in 2013. (Photo by Leilanie Adriano)

LAOAG CITY—Visiting all provincial government-owned tourism facilities in Ilocos Norte may cost a little higher this year to cover operational expenses and maintenance.

Ian Ree Raquel, head of the Provincial Tourism Office, said the proposed entrance fees will range from PHP30 to PHP50 per head from the usual PHP15 to PHP40 per head.

“We are proposing the increase in entrance fees of our tourism facilities being managed by the provincial government to further improve our services including the hiring of more personnel for the upkeep of the sites,” said Raquel on Tuesday.

For big tour groups visiting the province, Raquel said the Provincial Tourism Office offers incentives such as discounts of up to a maximum of 20 percent.

Meanwhile, residents of Ilocos Norte are given low rates of only PHP5 for entrance fees to encourage them to visit the province’s museums and other tourism destinations in the province.

“As much as we encourage tourists to visit our sites, we observed a low traffic from our own residents,” said Raquel.

As of posting, the proposed increase will be evaluated pending the approval of the 2019 Revised Revenue Code of Ilocos Norte.

On Tuesday, a number of taxpayers attended a public hearing at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to voice out their concerns on the proposed revision of the Ilocos Norte Revenue Code of 2013.

Provincial Board Member Dante Respicio, in his capacity as chairperson of the committee on ways and means, told the participants that under the Local Government Code, local government units are authorized to adjust tax rates not once every five years.

The increase shall, however, not exceed 10 percent of the rates fixed under the code. For Ilocos Norte, the last revision of the revenue code was undertaken in 2013. (PNA)


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