30 November 2005
League of Cities bucks creation of more cities
URDANETA CITY – The League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) is opposed to the conversion of first-class municipalities into new cities as this will reduce the Internal Revenue Allotments (IRA) of the present cities.
City Mayor Amadeo Perez, Jr. said LCP already passed a resolution calling on Congress to block a move to convert municipalities into new cities that could greatly disadvantage all existing cities whose IRA would be reduced as a result of such move.
Perez said the league is moving for a status quo on the classification of existing cities since any city upgraded to the next higher rank will also result in the reduction of IRA share of the other cities by at least P3 million.
He said it is good for existing cities to help new cities but considering the present economic crisis besetting the nation, a P3 million deduction from one’s IRA share means so much.
“It is not advisable that the IRA share be reduced as that would greatly affect each existing city’s delivery of basic services to the people,” Perez argued.
“It is true that the cityhood is a prestige but that is meaningless if the new city could not maintain its financial status,” he said.
City Mayor Amadeo Perez, Jr. said LCP already passed a resolution calling on Congress to block a move to convert municipalities into new cities that could greatly disadvantage all existing cities whose IRA would be reduced as a result of such move.
Perez said the league is moving for a status quo on the classification of existing cities since any city upgraded to the next higher rank will also result in the reduction of IRA share of the other cities by at least P3 million.
He said it is good for existing cities to help new cities but considering the present economic crisis besetting the nation, a P3 million deduction from one’s IRA share means so much.
“It is not advisable that the IRA share be reduced as that would greatly affect each existing city’s delivery of basic services to the people,” Perez argued.
“It is true that the cityhood is a prestige but that is meaningless if the new city could not maintain its financial status,” he said.
