 Posted on: Wednesday, December 30, 2009 11:34
Posted by: admin
ZAMBOANGA CITY—Mayor Roderick Furigay of Lamitan City, Basilan, announced Wednesday that they could now push through with the implementation of the development projects in the newly created city.
Furigay’s announcement came a day after he received a copy of the Supreme Court (SC) decision affirming the conversion of 16 municipalites, including Lamitan, into cities.
The SC, by a vote of 6-4, reversed its Nov. 18, 2008, ruling and declared “constitutional” the cityhood laws or republic acts converting 16 towns into cities.
Furigay said the development projects were put on hold when the cityhood status of Lamitan was reverted to municipality due to lack of funds, which mainly derive from the internal revenue allotment (IRA).
Furigay disclosed that with the SC’s affirmation of Lamitan as a city, the local government unit will be entitled to receive an annual IRA of P230 million.
Lamitan was receiving an annual IRA of P98 million when it was still a municipality.
Among the projects put on hold during Lamitan’s reversion to town were the Lamitan port, the first phase of which was already implemented, and some P200 million worth of infrastructure projects lined up under the Mindanao Rural Development Program.
Furigay said the salaries of the employees that were reduced during Lamitan’s reversion to municipality “will be increased again.”
Furigay said the SC’s decision “is a very nice Chrismas for us because, finally, the SC decided in our favor.”
“This [SC decision] is a gift from God for us this Christmas,” Lamitan City councilor Joaquin Puri said.
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