THE Lapu-Lapu City Government got an award for attaining the highest growth in locally-sourced income from 2012 to 2014 among 16 cities in Central Visayas.
Mayor Paz Radaza received a plaque from the Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF) 7 in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental last Monday.
From 2012 to 2014, the City increased its revenues by almost 21 percent.
Last year, the City earned P1.2 billion from P833 million in 2012 and P892 million in 2013.
The revenues were from real property and business tax, fees and charges, and economic enterprises.
Radaza gave credit to City Hall employees, particularly City Treasurer Elenita Catagcatag and her staff, for the steady increase of the City’s income.
Effort
“The award is an acknowledgement of our employees’ effort,” she told reporters yesterday.
She also attributed the City’s high income growth to the tax mapping being done by the City Treasurer’s Office.
She added that the payment made by the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) helped increase the City’s collection.
Last year, the MCIAA made an initial payment of P88 million.
It owes the City around P1.8 billion in real property and business tax.
Services
Radaza assured that the City’s higher income will mean better services for the taxpayers.
“We thank the support of our taxpayers. We always give back to them through our different services,” she said.
Radaza said she expects another increase in collections by the end of the year.
She added that City’s focus has always been on infrastructure projects, such as improving roads leading to tourism centers.
Radaza received the award during a conference and workshop organized by the BLGF, the Department of Finance and the Association of Local Treasures and Assessors 7.
The activity was attended by local treasurers and assessors in the region.