The Mayor's League of the Philippines in Negros Occidental met yesterday in Bacolod City to show solidarity against the reduction of their Internal Revenue Allotment share due to the conversion of 16 new cities.

Present were Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia, Ramon Torres – Bago, Salvador Escalante Jr. – Cadiz, Carminia Bascon – Himamaylan, Pedro Zayco Jr. – Kabankalan, Demie John Honrado – La Carlota, Alfredo Marañon Jr. – Sagay, Eugenio Jose Lacson – San Carlos, Jose Montelibano – Silay, Eric Saratan – Talisay, Severo Palanca – Victorias and Sipalay Vice Mayor Oscar Montilla who represented Mayor Soledad Montilla. Absent was Mayor Melecio Yap of Escalante.

The Mayors were joined by Bais Mayor Hector Villanueva, LCP vice president for the Visayas, who said they want to show to the different lawmakers the ill effects of the reduction in the IRA especially on basic services. He said it is not the mayors per se who will be affected by the IRA reduction but their constituents.

Villanueva said the reason why the mayors are gathered is to show support to the 120 cities and hoping that their action will be heard by the lawmakers.

NEGROS MAYORS ARE ONE

Leonardia said this is to show that the Negros Mayors are one in their protest against the conversion of 16 municipalities into cities without meeting the population and income requirements mandated by law. He said he hopes the lawmakers will understand the plight of the cities.

Escalante said they are fighting for the rights of 55 percent of Filipinos who live in the cities.

Marañon said the IRA of the cities in Negros Occidental has been reduced tremendously by about P600 million for one year, and it could have been used for the improvement of the province. He called the railroading of the conversion of 16 municipalities illegal and unconstitutional. He said there is a pending bill for the conversion of 27 additional municipalities, which will further reduce the IRA share of the cities.

Villanueva said the 120 cities will stand to lose P2 million each with the conversion of 27 capital towns. There will also be a negative deduction of the basic IRA of P54 million a year, he said.

ONLY 16 QUESTIONED

Villanueva said they are not against the creation of new cities if they meet the requirements. He said that in 2007 only Navotas and San Juan qualified out of the 18 municipalities that were converted. What they are questioning are only the 16 municipalities which are now receiving their IRA share, he said.

Marañon appealed to the media bring their concern to Manila . He said all cities help subsidize 100 percent of national offices in their areas, citing, for example, the police. He said the IRA reduction of Sagay of P38 million will affect education, traffic, garbage collection, among others.

Montelibano said Silay will lose P35 million and this will affect basic services.

Zayco said Kabankalan is among the top 10 cities that will be greatly affected by the IRA reduction. He said they will lose P56 million a year which could affect infrastructure, health and other basic services. He said they are IRA dependent since their local revenue is not enough.

GET IT FROM NAT'L GOV'T

Villanueva said he made a proposal to the LCP to study the possibility of increasing the IRA share of municipality taking it from the 60 percent share of the national government, and not from their 40 percent share of the cities. He said they will present their proposal to President so it can be acted upon.

Villanueva said there is also a proposal for a 50-50 share which he believes will not reduce the share of the government.

Torres said the Mayors are requesting the President to define other funds to serve as buffer to cushion off the reduction in the IRA.

Honrado said they will maintain their previous budget instead of increasing it for 2008.

Lacson, Western Visayas representative in the LCP, said one measure to cushion the impact of the IRA reduction is to forego loans for the purchase of vehicles. He said they have also been asked to lobby with Senators regarding IRA share reduction.

Bascon said they asked for a five-year moratorium on the conversion of cities and that she has talked to Rep. Ignacio Arroyo regarding the IRA issue.

BAIS HEAVY LOSER

Villanueva said Bais City will only receive P3 million instead of receiving P36 million or a loss of P33 million. He said the President promised that if there will be losses of the IRA, she will try to find ways and to help them out of her Kilos Asenso Fund. But for how long? He asked.*CGS

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