TAXATION Victorias Milling Co., Inc. vs. Municipality of Victorias, L-21183, September 27, 1968

 Victorias Milling Co., Inc. vs. Municipality of Victorias,  L-21183, September 27, 1968 

FACTS: This is a petition for review on certiorari of the July 27, 1984 Decision of the Office of the Presidential Assistant For Legal Affairs dismissing the appeal from the adverse ruling of the Philippine Ports Authority on the sole ground that the same was filed beyond the reglementary period.

On April 28, 1981, the Iloilo Port Manager of respondent Philippine Ports Authority (PPA for short) wrote petitioner Victorias Milling Co., requiring it to have its tugboats and barges undergo harbor formalities and pay entrance/clearance fees as well as berthing fees effective May 1, 1981. PPA, likewise, requiring petitioner to secure a permit for cargo handling operations at its Da-an Banua wharf and remit 10% of its gross income for said operations as the government's share.

Victorias Milling Co. maintained that it is except from paying PPA any fee or charge because: 1. The wharf and its facilities are built and installed on it’s own land; 2. Repairs and maintenance are solely paid by it; 3. Maintenance and dredging of the channel are done by the Company personnel; 4. At not time has the government paid any centavo for such activities.

ISSUE: WON the Victorias Milling Co. claim of exception for PPA fees is meritorious.

HELD: No, the petitioners claim that there is no basis for the PPA to assess and impose the dues and charge is devoid of merit.

As correctly stated by the Solicitor General, the fees and charges PPA collects are not for the use of the wharf that petitioner owns but for the privilege of navigating in public waters, of entering and leaving public harbours and berthing on public streams or waters.

As to the requirement to remit 10% of the handling charges, Section 6B-(ix) of the Presidential Decree No. 857 authorized the PPA "To levy dues, rates, or charges for the use of the premises, works, appliances, facilities, or for services provided by or belonging to the Authority, or any organization concerned with port operations." This 10% government share of earnings of arrastre and stevedoring operators is in the nature of contractual compensation to which a person desiring to operate arrastre service must agree as a condition to the grant of the permit to operate.