Liloan eyes cityhood in 2 years

CEBU, Philippines - The municipality of Liloan, Cebu is already close to becoming a city with the sprouting businesses and proposed industrial zone in the town, said Mayor Vincent Franco “Duke” Frasco.

Frasco said several businesses would open in Liloan next year, including two universal banks; at least three big fast food retailers; golf course; manufacturing plant of Oishi food products; and factories.

Frasco said these developments would push and boost their town’s bid for cityhood in the next two years. He is running for vice mayor.

A municipality may be converted into a city if it meets the requirements under Republic Act No. 9009, which amended the Local Government Code of 1991 (RA No. 7160), such as P100 million average annual income in the last two consecutive years and a population of at least 150,000 or a contiguous territory of 100 square kilometers.

Frasco said Liloan has already met the land requirement and only need to comply with two other requirements— the local income and population.

Frasco said the town’s annual income has grown from P9 million in 2007, excluding the internal revenue allotment, to P85 million last year.

But Frasco said Liloan needs to have an annual income of P100 million and a population of at least 150,000 to become a city.

At present, Liloan has a population of 130,000-135,000 with a projected growth of five percent a year.

“Based on the percentage of increase in our income and population, I think we’ll be able to get in the next year or two,” he said after the Mega Cebu Candidates’ Fora 2016 yesterday.

Lawyer Christina Garcia Frasco, who is running for mayor in Liloan, said with continued and active invitation of investors to the town “we are step closer to that goal.”

She promised that she will make it possible in her administration and continue what her husband has started, if get elected.

“Definitely we will continue to strive for that (cityhood)…It’s one of our top priorities,” she said, adding that it only requires “push” from the local government.

The town, located about 18 kilometers north of Cebu City, aims to earn P100 million to meet the required income for a city.

Cebu currently has six component cities— Bogo, Danao, Talisay, Naga, Carcar and Toledo. It has three independent cities—Cebu, Lapu-Lapu, and Mandaue. (FREEMAN)