Solons seek higher income requirements for LGUs

MANILA, Philippines - Lawmakers pushed for higher income requirements for creating municipalities, component cities, highly urbanized cities and provinces in the country.

 

Cebu Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia, Pampanga Rep. Oscar Rodriguez, Tarlac Reps. Enrique Cojuangco and Susan Yap authored House Bill (HB) 5021 which would increase the average annual income for creating a municipality from P2.5 million to P12.5 million.

 

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Under the bill, the income requirement for declaring a highly urbanized city from a component city would be increased from P50 million to P250 million while the required income to create a province would increase from P20 million to P200 million.

 

The bill provides that instead of the city treasurer, it would be the duty of the Department of Finance to certify that income requirements for highly urbanized cities are met.

 

It further requires that a plebiscite be held in the province where a city geographically belongs before declaring it a highly urbanized city. 

 

Instead of the president, it would be the duty of the Congress to declare a highly urbanized city within 30 days upon completion of requirements.

 

House Bill 5021 corrects the "imbalance" in Republic Act 9009 or "An Act Amending Section 450 of RA No. 7160, otherwise known as 'The Local Government Code of 1991, by increasing the Average Annual Income Requirement for a Municipality or Cluster of Barangays to be converted into a Component City.'"