The 13 cities of Negros Occidental are losing about P500 million in Internal Revenue Allotment this year with the creation of 16 new cities that prompted a nationwide protest yesterday.

Employees in most of the 13 cities in Negros Occidental yesterday wore black arm bands to protest, along with 107 other cities around the country, against what the League of Cities of the Philippines called Congress' creation of 16 new cities, despite their failure to meet requirements mandated by law.

Let us urge our legislators to stop conversion of municipalities into cities without strictly complying with the requirements of Republic Act 9009, the LCP said.

Under the law a municipality must have a minimum locally generated annual income of P100 million, 150,000 population and 100 square kilometers land area, Negros Occidental Vice Governor Isidro Zayco said.

The LCP also called for a moratorium on the conversion of more cities until an in-depth study is undertaken to have a more rational basis for cityhood.

It noted that another 27 capital towns are about to be converted into cities, too, without complying with the mandated requirements.

Eleven of the 13 cities of Negros Occidental this year have lost P434 million from their expected IRA, their mayors told the DAILY STAR. Figures on the cuts from IRA shares of Victorias and La Carlota cities were not available as of press times as their mayors could not be reached for comment, but the amount taken from them was expected to bring the total loss to Negros Occidental cities to about P500 million.

Mayor Evelio Leonardia, national vice chairman of LCP, said the cut for Bacolod City is P41.2 million and Mayor Ramon Torres said in Bago it is P40 million.

Mayor Salvador Escalante said Cadiz cut is P54 to 57 million, Mayor Melecio Yap said in Escalante it is P26 million and in Himamaylan Mayor Carminia Bascon placed her city's IRA loss at P30 million.

Vice Governor Zayco said the cut from the IRA of Kabankalan is P56 million and that, so far, is the largest in Negros Occidental. Kabankalan is among the top ten cities in the country with the largest cuts, Zayco said.

Mayor Alfredo Marañon Jr. said the cut from Sagay's IRA is P38 million, while the IRA of San Carlos city was cut by P42.2 million.

Mayor Jose Montelibano said Silay's IRA cut is P35 million, Mayor Eric Saratan said in Talisay it is P27 million and Mayor Soledad Montilla said in Sipalay the cut is P45 to P50 million.

The mayors were one in saying that the amounts cut from their IRA shares could have gone a long way in funding various projects and programs for their constituents.*CPG

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