Marawi execs join protest vs new cities IRA

MANILA, Philippines – Local executives in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur joined protest actions yesterday against a move by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to release Internal Revenue Allocation (IRA) to 16 newly created cities.

Twenty-seven more municipalities are up for conversion to cityhood this year by act of Congress.

The local executives supported the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) in asking the Supreme Court for an injunction to prevent the DBM from releasing additional IRA to the new cities.

Marawi City Mayor Fahad Salic said that LCP president Mayor Benhur Abalos of Mandaluyong City informed him that his city’s projected IRA would decrease as new cities are set to also get their share of IRA.

Salic said that this year, his city is supposed to get P32,482,287 in IRA, but this will be reduced to P23,892,737 because of the 16 new cities.

“We are worried over the reduction of our IRA because this will affect our peace and order campaign, delivery of social and other basic services, and infrastructure, among others,” he said.

Demonstrators wore a white armband symbolizing mourning in the Maranao culture.

Earlier last week, Iligan City Mayor Lawrence Lluch Cruz and over 1,000 city hall employees also expressed their support to the LCP.

At the weekly flag-raising ceremony at the city hall, the flag was raised at half mast and city hall employees wore black armbands.

Iligan is also supposed to get P86 million in IRA but this is expected to be reduced to about P65 million this year.

“We are not against the creation of new cities, but we have to maintain and even improve the delivery of basic services to the people and other programs of the local government,” Cruz said.

It was learned that the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Butuan as well as other cities in the country also staged similar demonstrations last week to support the LCP on the IRA issue.

There are pending House bills seeking the conversion of 27 more municipalities into new cities. – Lino dela Cruz