THE City of Lamitan in Basilan province posted an average growth rate of 20 percent in terms of revenue collection for the past eight years.
Lamitan City Mayor Rose Furigay announced this development during her last State of the City Report Tuesday, March 15, 2022 that was attended by village and City Government officials, as well as representatives of the cross section of the society, to include the police and military.
Furigay said that during her incumbency as mayor, the revenue from local sources for the year 2013 to 2021 reached P215.7 million.
"We have posted an average growth rate of 20 percent from 2013 to 2021 and we have consistently exceeded the target set by the Bureau of Local Government Finance," said Furigay, who will step down on June 30 and retire from politics.
Real Property Tax collection make up P27 million of the total collection for the period 2013 to 2021, according to Furigay.
"This is an undeniable truth that business is good in Lamitan City. We have a robust economy that nourishes the growth and development of businesses," she added.
She said they surpassed the 2013 data by 60.6 percent with 1,344 business permits issued in 2021.
"Despite the pandemic, we have still seen an increase in our business registration of around 1.19 percent in 2021," she said.
City Government record showed that Lamitan City has registered 10 gasoline stations, 20 hardware stores, 31 restaurants, 19 pharmacies, 42 pawnshops, 12 lending institutions and many others.
Furigay said it is a proof that business is both highly profitable and relatively easy in Lamitan City.
Furigay said Lamitan City was among the first local government units to utilize the Electronic Business Permits and Licensing System under the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
"In previous years, the processing of business permits takes three days to be completed. Now, it will only take a day to process with the Business One Stop Shop (Boss) in place for as long as the requirements are complete," Furigay said.
The City Government of Lamitan is currently constructing a new building just beside city hall to house the Boss to serve business owners and to better deliver frontline services to the public. (SunStar Zamboanga)