Most top-earning towns derive income from IRA

DESPITE being regarded as the top- earning towns in the Philippines, most of these “rich” municipalities are rich not because of teeming economic activity but because of their internal revenue allotment (IRA).

This, according to the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB), which listed as the “richest” four towns in Cavite, three in Laguna and two in Rizal. The NSCB said seven of the towns derived most of their income from the IRA.

Topping the list of the high-income towns was Biñan, Laguna. The others were the municipalities of Dasmariñas (Cavite), Cabuyao (Laguna), Bacoor (Cavite), Cainta (Rizal), Imus (Cavite), General Trias (Cavite), San Pedro (Laguna),Taytay (Rizal), and Mabalacat, Pampanga.

But those who received the biggest IRA in 2008 were Dasmariñas, Bacoor, Cainta, Imus, San Pedro, Taytay, Biñan, Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro; Ilagan, Isabela; and Binangonan, Rizal.

“Would you believe that nine of the 10 municipalities with the highest total income in 2008 come from Region 4-A or Calabarzon? Four are in Cavite, three in Laguna, and two in Rizal. Some things in our regional development strategies just have got to go,” NSCB Secretary-General Dr. Romulo A. Virola said in his online column, Statistically Speaking.

“Seven of the 10 municipalities with the highest total income actually derive most of their income from their internal revenue allotment,” Virola added.

Virola also noted that in 2008, the 30 most IRA-dependent municipalities received practically 100 percent of their income through the IRA. All these municipalities, except two, are from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Virola also said on a per-capita basis, the figures were different. While the 10 towns earned the highest income  in terms of per capita, not one of them made it to the top 10 and top 30 lists.

Virola attributes this to the size of the population in the 10 richest municipalities. He said three of the top 10 municipalities with the highest per-capita income are in Ilocos Norte, two in Isabela and two in Abra.

The list is composed of Kalayaan, Palawan; Alfonso Castañeda, Nueva Vizcaya; Divilacan, Isabela; Carasi, Ilocos Norte; Dinapigue, Isabela; Adams, Ilocos Norte; Lagayan, Abra; Dumalneg, Ilocos Norte; Tineg, Abra; and Ivana, Batanes.

“Note that all 10 municipalities with the highest per-capita income come from Luzon. Indeed, the spatial imbalance in development that was observed among cities also holds for municipalities,” Virola said.

On the other hand, the 10 most “self-reliant” municipalities in 2008 are mostly from Calabarzon. The list: Cabuyao, Laguna; Cainta, Rizal; Bacoor, Cavite; General Trias, Cavite; Biñan, Laguna; Imus, Cavite; Dasmariñas, Cavite; Carmona, Cavite; Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija; and Calaca, Batangas.

However, having more resources did not mean that these municipalities would also spend more for social sectors like health and education.

The 10 municipalities that gave relatively the most for education are Limay, Bataan; Duenas, Iloilo; Sual, Pangasinan; Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija; Taysan, Batangas; Cuartero, Capiz; Mabini, Batangas; Lugait, Misamis Oriental; San Pascual, Batangas; and Nasugbu, Batangas.

“Limay, Bataan spent 34 percent of its income on education; Nasugbu, 14 percent.  Congratulations to these municipalities,” Virola said. –Cai U. Ordinario / Reporter, BUsinessmirror