By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD CITY – Negros Occidental Provincial Administrator Atty. Rayfrando Diaz said the provincial government is moving to resolve the long-standing issue surrounding the Maricalum port in Cauayan town, southern Negros.
Diaz told reporters on Tuesday that Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson had called his attention after Cauayan Mayor John Rey Tabujara issued a statement requesting the province’s help with the port problem.
“We will take this up again with the Treasurer’s Office and work with the Provincial Legal Office to take action,” Diaz said.
He clarified that, as far as Maricalum Mining Corporation, the port’s owner, is concerned, “there are taxes due from them that have not been settled,” which is why Mayor Tabujara has asked the province to start the auction of the properties.
Diaz added that even before the pandemic, he had already instructed the Treasurer’s Office to gather all necessary documents and records and begin publishing demands to pursue the auction, including other properties with unpaid taxes.
However, he explained that over the years, the provincial government implemented several programs, including moratoriums.
“About a year ago, if you promised to pay over two years, your interest and penalties would be frozen during that period, as long as you paid monthly until your arrears were settled,” he said.
Diaz noted that this program delayed the progress toward auctioning the properties, as the province prefers that taxpayers settle their dues. “We want to offer taxpayers a manageable solution, which is the directive given by the governor.”
He added that arrears often prevent taxpayers from paying on time, and when they do make payments, the amounts are applied to the oldest dues, making it difficult to catch up.
“Due to the programs implemented by the Treasurer’s Office, many taxpayers haven’t been paying their current taxes but are settling old debts,” Diaz said.
He pointed out that this effort improved the performance of the Treasurer’s Office, noting, “That’s why our campaign led to us being awarded as the number one province in year-on-year growth in 2024, with an increase of 163%.”
Regarding Maricalum, Diaz said he believes the owners have not updated their taxes despite the payment programs offered by the province. “Eventually, we will be able to auction the properties,” he added.
The unpaid taxes have accumulated for more than 10 years since the mine ceased operations.
As for the Maricalum property, Diaz said it will be auctioned. “Whether it will be bought outright, I’m not sure, but what we’ve discussed is an auction sale because of the unpaid taxes.”
He mentioned that no other Maricalum properties remain except for the port area. “It’s ideal for a deep-sea port, which Cauayan is proposing to improve the flow of goods in and out of the town.”
Cauayan is far from the nearest port, so the town seeks to have its own, Diaz explained.
“Considering it was previously used by the mining company, the site is perfect for international cargo,” Diaz said, adding, “We will explore how we can help Cauayan realize its goal of establishing a new port in Bulata.”
Diaz reiterated that the plan has been in place for a long time, but programs from the Department of Finance and the Treasurer’s Office have caused delays.
He emphasized that resolving the Maricalum port issue has been a priority from the start. “We just hope there are no further legal or factual reasons to delay acquiring the property.”
When asked if the local government unit (LGU) will manage the port, Diaz said it could be under usufruct, or the province could construct and develop the port itself, with the LGU and nearby areas benefiting.
Meanwhile, Diaz also confirmed that the official Facebook page of the Province of Negros Occidental was hacked on Tuesday morning.
He said the matter was reported to the Information and Communication Technology Department.
“We are now in the process of recovering control of the Facebook page. The team has dealt with this before, and I am confident we will regain control of the province’s page,” Diaz said.
“There were inappropriate posts, including those of nude women asking for boyfriends. Of course, we would never do that. Someone illegally took control of the province’s Facebook page. I hope this issue is resolved soon so we can resume posting official activities,” he added.
Diaz mentioned that this is the first time the province’s Facebook page has been hacked, although they are aware of similar incidents happening to other LGUs.
“It’s a first for the province, but we are equipped to handle it. However, since this involves a Facebook account, there are limitations. Hackers have ways to bypass the system, but we will do our best to respond and prevent future incidents,” he said.
