11 towns in Ecija ‘promoted’

CABANATUAN CITY — Eleven municipalities in Nueva Ecija have been reclassified into the next higher rank by the Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF) of the Department of Finance (DOF).

The newly reclassified municipalities are Aliaga, Cabiao, Carranglan, Cuyapo, Gen. Tinio, Laur, San Antonio, San Leonardo, Sta. Rosa, Sto. Domingo and Talugtog.

Cabiao, Carranglan, Cuyapo, Gen. Tinio, San Antonio, San Leonardo and Sta. Rosa were upgraded from third-class to second-class towns, and Aliaga and Laur, from fourth-class to third-class.

Talugtog, meanwhile, was "promoted" from fifth-class to fourth-class.

The reclassification of the 11 towns was contained in a memorandum circular released by BLGF executive director Ma. Presentacion Montesa to BLGF Region 3 director Oscar Micla and provincial treasurer Edilberto Pancho.

The reclassification was pursuant to Department Order 20-05 prescribing the new classification based on the income brackets of first- to sixth-class municipalities.

Under the order, towns with an average annual income of P50 million or more are classified as first-class municipalities, while those with P40 million but less than P50 million are considered second-class.

Correspondingly, third-class towns are those with an average annual income of P30 million; fourth-class, P20 million; fifth-class, P10 million; and sixth-class, below P10 million.