LA TRINIDAD, Benguet (PIA) – The provincial local government unit of Benguet commits to maintain its newly acquired first-class province status.
Based on Department of Finance Order No. 074, Series of 2024, Benguet has achieved the first-class province status from second class after recording an annual regular income exceeding P1.5 billion.
Republic Act No. 11964 or Automatic Income Classification of Local Government Units Act states that provinces shall be classified according to their income ranges and based on the average annual regular income for the three fiscal years preceding a general income classification.
A first-class province must have obtained an average annual regular income of P1.5 billion or more.
The province of Benguet has recorded an annual regular income exceeding P2.04 billion in 2023, more than P2.35 billion in 2022, and over P1.94 billion in 2021.
Governor Melchor Diclas said this was achieved through the contribution of various sectors in the province.
“Nagtutulong piman dagitoy opisyales, of course, dagitoy dadduma nga ospital tayo, nag-increase ti income na ken dagiyay municipalities and barangays, tulong-tulong piman daytoy naaramid tayo nga naging first class ti probinsiya tayo. Ti kayat tayo, ma-maintain diyay,” Diclas said in an interview.
[Our officials collaborated, the income of other hospitals has increased, the municipalities and barangays contributed in making our province first class. We commit to maintain this.]
With the new status of the province, the salary of employees will likewise increase and will be the same as those in the national government.
“At least, madagdagan ang sweldo ng mga kagaya ko na nangangarap na tumaas ang sweldo,” said Lucia Orque from the Provincial Governor’s Office.
“Siguro, marami pang susunod na opportunities on that first-class reclassification sa province,” Joseph Cervantes of PENRO Benguet also expressed.
The income classification serves as basis in identifying administrative and statutory aids, financial grants, and other forms of assistance to local governments; determination of the financial capability of LGUs to undertake development programs and priority projects; total annual or supplemental appropriation for personal services of an LGU for one fiscal year, and compensation adjustment for personnel of the LGUs, among others.
Other provinces in the Cordillera have also improved their income classification. Abra is now also a first class province while Apayao, Ifugao, Kalinga, and Mountain Province are second class. (JDP/DEG-PIA CAR)
