Leyte town lands 5th in revenue collection

CARIGARA, Leyte, March 18 (PNA) -- Carigara town in Leyte capped off 2015 with an 11 percent increase in earnings, making it the fifth top local government unit (LGU) in revenue collection in Leyte province.

In an interview, Carigara municipal treasurer Juliet Hanopol said the town sustained an increase with its PHP18 million local revenue collection for 2015.

Total collections came mainly from business tax, fees and charges, economic enterprise and real property tax.

“Our market remains the town’s lifeblood where most of our local revenue comes from,” Hanopol said.

Noted growth in the local market and business area were the entry of more establishments and franchises that includes a hotel, cafes, bakeshop, ‘do-it-yourself’ hardware, home furniture shop, gasoline station, bank, pizza house and a number of other establishments.

The local government unit itself opened during the latter part of 2015 their new wet market which provides a more spacious area for meat and fish vendors.

A mall giant is also reportedly eyeing a new location in Carigara to build its hypermarket.

Hanopol added that with the increased revenue, the LGU will be able to put up expansions and improvement to better equip the town for new investments and businesses.

For 2016, revenue target is pegged at PHP18-20 million.

Meanwhile, Carigara Mayor Eduardo Ong credited the citation to the joint effort of the people of Cariagar and the locall government workforce. He believes that the trust and confidence of the people in his administration is a key factor for this achievement.

Carigara is a second class municipality in Leyte’s second district. It has always been commercially active and a commercial center for nearby towns such as Capoocan, Barugo, Tunga and Jaro.

Carigara ranked behind Isabel, Palompon, Kananga and Abuyog in the Top 5 performing LGUs in local revenue collection by the Bureau of Local Government and Finance. (PNA)
JMC/SQM/AHLETTE C. REYES/EGR