Outgoing District Collector Ronnie Silvestre said these 20 top importers also provide jobs to the Cebuanos and taxes to local government units (LGUs).

The companies are Kepco-SPC Power Corp., which paid P771.9 million in duties and taxes; Steel Asia Manufacturing Corp., P691.2 million; Seaoil Philippines Inc., P481.5 million; Twa Inc., P211.1 million; CMK Trading, P192.2 million; Tridharma Marketing Corp. P189 million; Carmen Copper Corp., P166.6 million; Apo Cement Corp., P159 million; Maxima Machineries Inc., P148.2 million; Cebu Energy Development Corp., P145.5 million; Petron Corp, P141.3 million; Taiheiyo Cement Phils. Inc., P131.8 million; Adelc Trading, P127.4 million; Petronas Energy Phils. Inc., P125 million; Ajinomoto Phils. Corp., P109.4 million; JM-ARS Trading, P108.6 million; International Pharmaceuticals Inc., P94.8 million; A.D. Gothong Manufacturing Corp., P79.3 million; Pryce Gases Inc., P78 million; and Virginia Foods Inc., P77.3 million.

Of the P8.8 billion in collections of the Port of Cebu, P4.228 billion came from these 20 importers. The P3.861 billion was paid by other importers, P428 million came from the Sub-Port of Mactan under Collector Paul Alcazaren, while the P79 million came from the Port of Dumaguete.

Of the top importers, Kepco-SPC, which is number one, and Cebu Energy Development Corp., which is number 10, are in power generation.

Apo, which is number eight, and Taheiyo, which is number 12, are engaged in cement production.

Seaoil, which is in number three, Petron, which is in number 11, and Petronas which is number 14, are engaged in fuel distribution.

Silvestre said that the P8.8 billion collection in 2012 is higher than that in 2011, which was P8.7 billion.

He said the volume of importation decreased but the revenue collections went up because of the correct computation of duties and increasing vigilance of customs personnel.

By Elias O. Baquero | January 31, 2013
Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/business/2013/01/31/top-20-importers-account-more-half-taxes-265891