San Juan named RP’s most progressive town

Despite the lack of support from the administration, the municipality of San Juan was adjudged the most progressive town in the country, according to Mayor Joseph Victor Ejercito.

"We are very, very happy,  kasi nag-number one kami against all odds dahil wala kaming nakukuha na kahit na anong tulong sa gobyerno," Ejercito said in a press conference the other day.

San Juan ranked first based on statistics released by two national agencies — the Commission on Audit (COA) and the National Statistics Coordinating Body (NSCB).

The NSCB report also showed that San Juan has the "lowest poverty incidence" (municipal level) in the country, with a mere 2.92 percent.

In COA’s Financial Highlights of Local Government Units for the Fiscal Year 2005, San Juan emerged as having the highest gross income of P658.8 million and the highest cash in bank with P484.4 million.

San Juan ranked second among municipalities in terms of the biggest current asset and net income in the nation. Only Biñan, Laguna finished ahead of the municipality.

The report also showed that San Juan posted an increase in earnings of more than 100 percent, from the P290 million earnings in 2001 to an P658 million in 2005.