14 Cebu towns get an upgrade

At least 14 municipalities in the province of Cebu have been upgraded to a higher classification while one has been downgraded by the Bureau of Local Government Finance of the Department of Budget and Management.

The new first class municipalities are Bantayan, Consolacion, Daanbantayan, Dalaguete and Liloan. They now join Balamban and Minglanilla in the list of first class towns.

New second class municipalities are Barili, Medellin and Pinamungahan joining to San Fernando and Tuburan in the classification.

Badian, Compostela, San Francisco and Tabogon are now third class towns joining the towns of Asturias, Carmen, Dumanjug and Sibonga.

Upgraded to fourth class municipalities are Santa Fe and Santander joining the towns of Alegria, Aloguinsan, Catmon, Madridejos, Moalboal, Oslob, Poro, Sogod and Tabuelan.

Alcantara, Alcoy, Boljoon, Ginatilan, Malabuyoc, Pilar, Samboan and Tudela remain as fifth class municipalities.

While others got an upgrade, the town of Argao, which is one of the most popular tourist stops in the south, has been downgraded from a second class municipality to third class.

Not in the list are the towns of Borbon, Cordova, Ronda and San Remigio.

But in the Memorandum Circular No. 01-M (25)-08 dated November 18, 2008 issued by BLGF-DOF executive director Ma. Presentacion Montesa, it was stated that “a newly converted/created/merged municipality not included in the listings herein shall be classified tentatively on the basis of its Average Annual Income actually realized during the last four calendar years immediately preceding the year of classification.

According to the municipal resource profile of the Department of Trade and Industry, Borbon, Cordova and San Remigio are classified as fifth class municipalities while Ronda is sixth class.

The reclassification of the towns was based on the financial statements submitted for 2004 to 2007.

Pursuant to Section 2 of Deoartment Order No. 23-08, the classification of municipalities shall be based on the income bracket — P55-million or more for first class, P45-million or more but less than P55-million for second class, P35-million or more but less than P45-million for third class, P25-million or more but less than P35-million for fourth class, P15-million or more but less than P25-million for fifth class and below P15-million for sixth class.

The said Memorandum Circular further stated that on the basis of their respective average annual income for calendar years 2004-2007, as certified by COA, the new classification of the municipalities of the Province of Cebu have taken effect last July 29, 2008. –/NLQ