The Bureau of Local Government Finance in Central Visayas (BLGF 7) disclosed an updated income classification status of some cities and municipalities of Cebu Province based on a three-year average of their regular annual income.
Atty. Kevin Soon, BLGF 7 local treasury operations officer, said that 19 municipalities in the province are now first class municipalities; six are second class municipalities; five have become third class municipalities; six moved to become fourth class municipalities, and two municipalities possess fifth class status.
For the component cities, one has become a first class city; another one is a second class city; two are third class cities; and one is a fourth class city.
Atty. Soon made the announcement before Gov. Gwen Garcia in a meeting at the Capitol Social Hall on February 8. It was also attended by mayors of Cebu LGUs, BLGF 7 director Gerardo Avorque, DILG 7 director Leocadio Trovela, and COA 7 director Visitacion Mendoza.
“I made a Cebu Province simulation, but this is not official, and with the exemption of six LGUs nga kuwangan og usa ka tuig ang ilahang na-report,” Atty. Soon said.
BLGF 7 director Avorque told Sugbo News that as of the moment, they could not yet release the full details of the LGUs’ updated income classification status pending review by their mother agency which is the Department of Finance.
“As of now, we cannot disclose the status of LGUs because we are still waiting for the implementing rules or department orders. I have no idea when they will come out because they are still being reviewed by the technical working group of the Department of Finance,” Director Avorque said.
Though the numbers are still unofficial, Gov. Garcia and the mayors were excited to know of certain improvements in Cebu, as this will also impact the respective LGU’s ability to undertake development projects, access financial grants from various sources, and determine the salary of their personnel.
Also in attendance were DILG Cebu Director Atty. Ian Kenneth Lucero, COA Cebu Auditing Chief Atty. Mark Tirol, and state auditors Rhoda Morales and Jenny Dayola. | Babie Jane Revecoy