POLL QUESTION:
Should Tacloban City become a Highly Urbanized City (HUC): YES or NO?The Commission on Elections has tentatively scheduled for Dec. 6 the plebiscite to ratify the presidential proclamation of Tacloban as a highly urbanized city.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed on Oct. 4 Proclamation 1637 that declared Tacloban as a highly urbanized city, the first in Eastern Visayas and the 34th nationwide.
Tacloban, which is the first highly urbanized city in Eastern Visayas, has a population of over 217,000 and an income of around P230 million in 2007.
The declaration will officially take effect once it is ratified by a majority of qualified voters of Tacloban in a plebiscite which is scheduled for Dec. 18 2008.
During the plebiscite, the city's registered and qualified voters would be casting "yes" or " no" votes on question of Tacloban becoming a HUC.
Tacloban City Mayor
Alfred S. Romualdez
on the HUC issue:
In his strong dream for Tacloban to be more progressive in the coming years, Mayor Alfred S. Romualdez has assured the people that he will not put the Taclobanons in a shaky situation in his bid for the highly urbanization of this capital city of Region 8.
According to him, his family, the Marcos-Romualdez families, would only want Tacloban to shine in the region as a highly urbanized city to be able to bring in more investments, projects, employment and development not only for the city but as a gateway and center of Eastern Visayas region.
Oct 22, 2008
"In the next weeks, Tacloban will celebrate independence. We will be asked to vote. I'm happy that time comes that we will be recognized as capital of Eastern Visayas as leader of progress and development."
Oct 19, 2008
"Tacloban City will become a "magnet for investors" now that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has declared the city as highly-urbanized (HUC)."
Oct 19, 2008
"One major advantage in being an HUC is that a city would be more attractive to investors. Look at what happened to Cebu, Iloilo and other highly-urbanized cities in the country. The time they were reclassified as HUCs, more businesses moved in and their economies improved tremendously."
"It would be the same for Tacloban."
Oct 19, 2008
"It would not be far-fetched that Shoemart (SM) would follow the lead of Robinsons and Gaisano and put up its own mall here."
Oct 19, 2008
"We have the infrastructure; we have a sound communication and transportation system. We are more than ready to facilitate the entry and cope with the expected influx of investors."
Oct 14, 2008
"There are no disadvantages, only advantages in becoming an HUC."
Oct 14, 2008
"The city will be receiving additional millions from the national government. That means the city will have more money to spend for livelihood programs, and social services that will benefit many, especially the poor."
Oct 14, 2008
"Presently, the congress-man representing the First District has to divide his annual pork barrel of about P250 million among the seven towns and one city comprising the district. Once the city becomes a lone congressional district, we will have our own congressman who will spend that amount solely for Tacloban."
Oct 14, 2008
"There will be an increase in commercial activities. Expect investors engaged in food, manufacturing, and other businesses to pour capital here."
Oct 14, 2008
"There would be no merging of barangays or tax increase. Also, the feared dislocation of squatters and the expropriation of properties owned the provincial government will not occur."
Oct 10, 2008
"I am very confident that the Taclobanons will support on this issue."
Oct 10, 2008
"Everybody can campaign for or against it," "I myself have been campaigning for the HUC of Tacloban."
Oct 08, 2008
"In the next five to six years, I want Tacloban to stand on its own by becoming a zero-IRA dependent."
Oct 08, 2008
"The reclassification of Tacloban into an HUC is a big leap towards development and progress."
Oct 07, 2008
"The conversion of Tacloban into an HUC would greatly redound to the benefit of its more than 217,000 people." "There will be better and faster services."
Oct 07, 2008
"With the reclassification, the city would now be directly supervised by the national government. The national government will now act as our big brother."
Sep 13, 2008
"Walang clustering or merger ng mga barangays kahit maging highly urbanized na tayo - hindi ko gagawin ‘yon."
Sep 03, 2008
"It is not true that there will be an automatic tax increase, as any increase needs the approval of the city council, the concurrence of the mayor and a public hearing."
"In addition, the Local Government Code of 1991 provides for a moratorium on tax increase within the first five years after a component city is converted into an HUC. It means that the city cannot raise taxes in the first five years after conversion. It is only on the sixth year thereafter after conversion that an HUC can raise real state taxes and other fees, but only up to ten percent maximum."
Sep 03, 2008
"Clustering barangays is not in our agenda. That is the farthest thing in our mind among the things that we're going to do. Barangays that are existing will remain as it is. We cannot cluster barangays without legal basis."
Sep 03, 2008
"Under the law, newly categorized city cannot adjust taxes within five years. Businessmen should be worried if our bid will not be approved because we can raise taxes," the city mayor stressed.
Sep 03, 2008
"The basic question here is that whether we want Tacloban to be under the Office of the President or remain under the supervision of Leyte province. Putting politics aside, it's better to be under Malacañang because they have more resources."
Aug 21, 2008
"I am fighting for it because I know that once Tacloban will become an HUC, it will benefit us all. This is not for any personal reason but for all the Taclobanons."
Aug 12, 2008
"It's not really a campaign but I am explaining to our people why I am pushing to make Tacloban as a highly-urbanized city."
Aug 12, 2008
"And there would be no tax increase contrary to speculations. In fact, there would be a moratorium on any tax increase for five years."
Aug 12, 2008
"I am not doing this for personal benefits. It is for our people. Tacloban has been on the track to becoming an HUC as it meets the financial and population requirements."
May 24, 2008
I already have the official documents from the (NSO) and I'm waiting now for the one from the Department of Finance certifying that our income is enough to qualify reclassification. I am very confident that we will be reclassified within this year."
May 24, 2008
"When we are already a highly urbanized city, it is only a few steps to become a lone district. We will get more share of funds for development, or an additional budget of at least P100 million a year."year."
Jejomar Binay
Opposition leader and chief executive of the
country's major central business district Makati City
on the HUC issue:
Nov 14, 2008
"Once the city will be converted into an HUC it will have all the advantages of being a local government unit."
"There are advantages that Tacloban and its people will enjoy once the city becomes a highly urbanized city."
"There will be increase of revenue and independence of leadership as they will be directly responsible to the people,"
"The city will not anymore contribute revenues to the provincial government. Whatever you raised in the HUC is the revenue of HUC. For the purposes of administrative control, the city will not be anymore under the provincial government."
"The city government's independence from the provincial leadership is advantageous considering that the province caters the needs of other cities and municipalities."
"Unlike being an HUC, you will be separated ... and therefore chances are for efficiency and effectivity, there will be better delivery of services and more than that, the city will be independent. I always favor conversion of LGUs to higher categories."
Alfredo "Bejo" Romualdez
Former Tacloban City Mayor
on the HUC issue:Nov 14, 2008
"I consider it unpatriotic who are against the HUC bid of Tacloban. There is no other reason why we are pushing for Tacloban become an HUC; it's for the good of our people and nothing else. Why stifle its development?"
Forter Puguon
regional chief of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)
on the HUC issue:
Oct 06, 2008
"I welcome it because it will result to more employment generation and better services which are among the main objectives of our department."
"With the projection of more investors coming in to the city to conduct business, more employment opportunities would follow.
"The region does not provide much employment opportunities so with Tacloban becoming an HUC certainly will have a cascading effect to the region considering that it is its regional capital."
Desiderio Belas
provincial director of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
on the HUC ussue:Oct 06, 2008
"I am supporting this reclassification bid of Tacloban as it could boost its campaign to attract more investors."
"Big cities classified as HUCs enjoy confidence of big investors because they have a big market."
"With bigger populations, there will be big demands for goods. So I don't see anything wrong with the plan of city government of Tacloban becoming an HUC."
"That will make the city more competitive."
Governor
Carlos Jericho "Icot" Petilla
on the HUC issue:
Oct 11, 2008
"My personal stand is that it's about time that Taclobanons should decide for themselves. They will vote for HUC just once in a lifetime. They should find out the truth and decide for themselves."
"Since the city is qualified in terms of income and population, President Arroyo has no choice but to issue a proclamation within 30 days. It was even delayed."
Source:
http://www.taclobanhotels.com/TACLOBAN-%20...%20-ISSUE.htm
TACLOBAN CITY
